ASSOCIATION FOE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7065, 17 January 1891, Page 3

ASSOCIATION FOE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE.

To-day's Proceedings.

THE STATE BANK QUESTION;

The proceedings of the Association for the Advancement of Science this morning were chiefly confined to the reading of papers in the various sections, except in the economic and geological sections, in which Presidential addresses were given. SECTION F.— ECONOMIC SCIENCE. At 10.30 a.m. the Hon G. W. Cotton gave his Presidential address, the subject of which was " A State Bank of Issue the only Solution of the Domestic Currency Question." Mr Cotton summarised his address as follows : — (1) That a condition essential to tne currency of any country is that it must be of such a character that, by regulation, its total numeraiy volume may be adequate to the business requirements of the community. (2) That a socalled metallic basis for a currency is a delusion and a snare, and only plays into the hands of those who seek to avail themselves unduly of the results of other people's labour. (3) That for the social and political -welfare of any country it is indispensable that the emission of its circulating medium, money, must be in the bands of one party only, and that party must be the State. (4) That as the power of capital, at present, is the only efficient bond of cooperation, there must be substituted for it the united force' of organised labour, and of a State Bank of Issue, before any permanent change for tho better is possible: (5) That while this change ia being effected, the increase of knowledge in social science afforded by the correlated facts of statistics will hasten on, I hope peacefully, the revolution that I have tried to briefly set forth in this paper.

Sir James Hector said that he would like to say how much the Association was indebted to Mr Cotton for his paper. The chief objection to a State Bank which presented itself to his mind was that, though it might succeed under an autocratic Government, under an ultrademocratic Government such as ours it would be hardly safe, as it was impossible to keep rash or unscrupulous persons out of the Government of the country, who would have the control of the bank, and might make mistakes in its management. He moved a vote of thanks to Mr Cotton for his address.

Mr Justice Denniston seconded the motion, remarking that the subject was one of very great importance, and one on which there was room for considerable criticism, into which he did not propose to enter.

Mr Teece, Sydney, siid that, as representative of tbe Australian Economic Association, he had much pleaaure in bearing testimony to the value of Mr Cotton's paper, though he could not agree with its conclusions, nor had he any sympathy with the Cassandra-like tone which pervaded it. In spite of the unrest now abroad in the world, when he looked back to the substantial progress which had been made in the past and the evident general desire for a better state of things in the future, he felt that the time was at hand when both employers and employed would see that their interests would be best Berved by co-operation, by mutual concessions, and regard for one another. Mr Nesbit agreed with Sir James Hector in hi 9 doubt whether the issue of paper money could be safely entrusted to a democratic Government, though he was heart and soul a democrat. He knew from hia own observation, in the course of his experience as Parliamentary draughtsman, how difficult it was for the head of a democratic Government, no matter how honest, to resist the pressure put upon him to expend money, Aa a Government

depended for its existence upon the votes of the majority of tho members of the House of Representatives, it was impossible for it to resist the pressure which had its origin in the system of log-rolling. He had great faith, however, in the people, and in the honeßty and ability of the majority of their representatives. To exemplify what he said, he would n.ention that in South Australia some years ago, the Premier, now Mr Justice Boueaut, brought in a loan scheme, coupled with a system of direct taxation. The Parliament went in for the loan, but rejected the taxation which was to have accompanied it. Mr Boueaut resigned. An era of extravagance set in, and the Colony found its'.-li: -face to face with bankruptcy. Public opinion wa3 aroused, and in 1884, under the lead of Mr Playford and Mr C. C. Kingston, the latter one of the most thorough- going Liberals in the Colony, drastic retrenchment was effected, and a tax imposed on incomes and on the unimproved values of land. This policy, the nearest approach to Henry George's proposals adopted anywhere, had arrested the downward progress of the colony, and the deficit of nearly a million sterling was in course of being paid off. The public revenue had shown a surplus for three successive years, and there was every reason to suppose that it would continue to do so. In spite of the hope with which he regarded the assumption by the State of many functions not hitherto undertaken by it, he was not prepared to accept the principle of a State Bank, mainly for the reason mentioned by Sir J. Hector. Still, the State Bank might be practicable in the future. Mr Cotton was, really, a little before his time ; he was a far-seeing man, who had assisted in bringing about many important reforms ; his homestead settlement scheme was a noMe work, which had done a vast amount of good. The motion was carried by acclamation, and acknowledged by Mr Cotton. BECTION A. — ASTRONOMY AND PHTSIC9. There was a good attendance at the meeting of Section A. Professor Lyle presided. Professor H. Laurie read a paper on inductive methods of enquiry, suggesting certain amendments iv J- S. Mill's canons. A discussion followed, in which Professor Aldis and Mr Joynt took part. Mr G.Hogben read a report on the earthquakes of New Zealand. He suggested that it would be well if about £600 were expended in procuring and placing instruments for seismological observations at about eight stations in the colony. Professor Lyle said that it would be a very good thing if the Government were to do as suggested. A progress report on the tides of South Australia was presented by a Committee of the Section. .

BICTION B. — CHEMISTRY. At the meeting of the chemistry section Mr George Gray, the Secretary, read the following papers on behalf of the authors : 1 — 1. ProfesßOr Mason — Molecular volumes and boiling points in relation to chemical characters. 2. Mr N. T. Wilsmore — Unsuccessful attempts to prepare magnesium ethyl. 3. Professor Masson— Does magnesium form alkyl compounds ? The section adjourned to Tuesday next. SECTION C. — GEOLOGY. At 11 a.m. the Presidential address by Mr E. A. Murray, Government Geologist, Victoria, was read by Mr R. D. Thomas. There was a fair attendance. A letter from Mr Murray was read, returning thanks for his appointment, and regretting that he was unable to be present. The subject of the address was " The past, present, and future of mining in Victoria." A report of a Committee recommending the adoption of a uniform system of colouring in the Government maps of the various Australasian Colonies was presented. SECTION J. — ENGINEERING AND AECHIj TBCTURE. The papers read in this section were as follow : — 1. Professor Warren — Description of the apparatus used in testing materials; considerations with reference to specifications of tests ; safe working stress. 2. Mr C. Napier Bell— Drift materials of New Zealand beaches, and their effect on harbour works and bridges. 3. R. Chapman — A graphic method for the design of reservoir walls.

j SECTION H.— SANITARY SCIENCE. I The meeting of this section was ad- ' journed till Monday, when members will visit the sewage farm. SECTION D. — BIOLOGY. This section met at 11 a.m., when a number of papers were read. Professor j j Bickarton read a paper suggesting a possible mode of evolution of the eye ; and i ' also one which showed how the action of i . the lungs might be simply illustrated by means of a lamp glass, two toy balloons, and a few other simple articles. Professor Parker, of Otago University, read a paper pointing out the confusion that arose throushlack of uniformity in nomenclature j I in biology, and suggesting the advisable- ■. I ness of a uniform system being adopted. ; ' He also read a paper on specific differences j :in the skeleton of the apteryx. A paper by : : Mr Coleinan Phillips, on rabbit suppres- j ! sion, dealt with the means the writer had ; i successfully adopted for abating the pest ; on his run in the Wairarapa district. He : condemned fencing and trapping, advocat--1 ing the methods he had used, viz., the ! spreading of disease, and the destruc- ! tion of the rabbits by dogs and men i employed for that purpose. j A resolution was passed, bringing Pro- | fessor Parker's suggestions with reference ; ! to uniformity in nomenclature under the i 1 notice of the Recommendation Committee. SECTION I. — LITERATURE AND FINE ARTS. This section met at 11 a.m., when ; papers were read by Mr Kenneth Watkins, | on "National Art as Applied to the • i Colony." and by Mr Thistlethwaite on ' j "The Horse in Art." The former paper i dealt with the art prospects of New Zea- > I land, showed the necessity of combination among the various art societies, and pointed out tne opportunities that the Colony afforded for the establishment of a j national school of art. It suggested that j in the art unions held by the various local Societies the prizes should be fewer and ; ! of higher value, so as to allow satisfactory j i prices to be given for certain pictures. . i The establishment of an academy of art ! for the whole Colony was advocated, with a President, Vice-President and other , officers. Mr Thistlethwaite's paper treated of the history of the horse in art, from the earliest Assyrian and Egyptian periods down to tbe time of modern English and Continental papers. It was illustrated by carefully-drawn diagrams showing the anatomy of the horgp, and it 3 treatment by Assyrian, Egyptian, and Grecian artists. SECTION E.— GEOGRAPHY.

This rection met at 11 a.m., when a paper was read by Mr C. W. Purnell, of Ashburton, in which he advocated the despatch of an expedition on a larger scale tban Baron Nordenekjold contemplated, in order to follow up Ross' discoveries. He suggested utilising two auxiliary steamships, fully equipped for a three years' expedition, the expense to be defrayed by the Australian and New Zealand Govern* nients, and the Imperial Government to be asked to lend the officers and ships. There were numeroua scientific problems awaiting solution; for instance, it had yet to be ascertained whether there was an Antarctic continent, or whether the supposed conti- J nent was an Antarctic archipelago. Con- i siderable commercial advantages were likely to arise from the expedition, as Robb j had ascertained the existence in large : numbers of whales and seals, and had also found extensive guano deposits, notably on Possession Island, on the coast of South ' Victoria Land. If only one workable guano deposit were opened up, it would amply repay the whole cost of the ex- . pedition. The Antarctic Exploration Committee reported that their subject had been kept well before the public, and there were gratifying evidences that the labours j of the past few. years were bearing fruit in the shape of a growing, widespread interest in the projected scheme of exploration. Reference was made to the offer of Baron Oscar Dickson , to equip an expedition, under the superin- ; tendence of Baron Nordenßkjold, provided j an Australian contribution of .£SOOO were , forthcoming. The ships -would sail under the British flag, but in return for the ' monetary assistance which it was hoped would be given, Australia would have come voice in the direction, and also the right to ' appoint some of the scientific staff. The Committee had had promises of various

sums of money, and were in hopes that tbe subscription lists now issuing might quickly result in the requisite atcountbeingcolleetecl. The Federal Council •would meet in tlie course of tbe next few weeks, and two of the Victorian delegates had promised to bring the desirableness of the subsidisation of South Polar research before that holy. Reference was also rnnde to the request of a British owner of whale-ships to lease the Mnr-qnarrie Islnnds from the Tastuanian authorities for a whaling station, from which he proposed to test the Antarctic eeas. The Committee truuted that hie enterprise would receive proper encouragement, but no privileges should be given him which would prevent other expeditions from utilising the island. Several suggestions which had been made by B^.ron von Mueller were mentioned, the principal of which was that a balloon should be carried by the expedition, for purposes of observation where ice barriers intercepted the view. The adoption of the report was moved by Baron von Mueller, and seconded by Professor Kernot, Vice- President of the* Royal Society of Victoria. Sir James Hector, Bishop Nevill, of Dunedin, and the Hon 0. W. Cotton, M.L.C., of Tasmania, supported the motion, which was carried.

About 450 members' and ladies' ticki ts have teen issued up to tlie present time. Mr C. F. Grant, one of the delegates from the Royal Society of Tasmania, arrived last night.