Binding. The binder has a good deal of work in hand, but the volumes have not yet been returned. Member Bodies. The following reports have been received from Member Bodies: Wellington Branch for the year ended 30th September, 1948; Canterbury Branch for the year ended 31st October, 1948; Otago Branch for the year ended 31st October, 1948; Nelson Institute for the year ended 31st December, 1948. Fellowship. Fourteen nominations have been received for the four vacancies in the Fellowship. These were submitted to the Fellows for selection and the Fellowship Selection Committee will report to the Annual Meeting. Hector Award. Owing to the absence overseas of Dr. G. H. Cunningham, the Hector Medal and Prize for 1948 have not yet been presented. Dr. Cunningham has now returned and arrangements are being made to have the presentation made at a meeting of the Auckland Institute in the near future. Medals. A further supply of Hector Medals was received from Messrs. John Pinches Ltd. At the time of their arrival the Customs Department insisted on duty and sales tax being paid on them, but owing to subsequent representations made on the Society's behalf the amount of duty and sales tax has been refunded and an assurance given that in future the Society's medals will not be subject to duty and sales tax. Hutton Grants. The amended regulations governing applications for Hutton grants are appreciated by prospective grantees. Dr. Greta Cone's application referred from the Annual Meeting for further information was approved by the Standing Committee. On the recommendation of the Hutton Research Grants Committee the following applications were approved during the year: Mr. B. van't Woudt, £42, for books and apparatus and travelling expenses in a research on soil relationships of Pinus radiata in the State Forest Plantations on the acid pumice soils at the Kaingaroa Plains. Mr. V. J. Cook, £30, for research on Cyperaceae. Professor L. R. Richardson and Mr. H. Bary, £30, for the study by observational flights, of the blooming of Cyclotrichium in the Wellington Harbour. Research Grant. Only one application was received for the amount of £75 available as a special grant for research, that of Mr. B. van't Woudt, who asked for maintenance grant while employed on the Pinus radiata research in the State Forest at Kaingaroa Plains. On the recommendation of the Research Grants Committee this application was granted. Pacific Science Congress. Although the Standing Committee did not undertake directly any part of the active organization of the Seventh Pacific Science Congress throughout the year, it has been kept informed of all stages of arrangements. Notice was given to the Society that U.N.E.S.C.O. was making 20,000 dollars available to enable delegates from war devastated countries to attend the Congress. Notice was also given that the National Research Council of the Philippines intended to issue an invitation for the Eighth Pacific Science Congress, and the Society as the adhering body in the Pacific Science Association was notified of certain proposed amendments to the Constitution to be placed before the Pacific Science Council. A matter to come before the Annual Meeting for consideration is the proposal to appoint a permanent General Secretary and consequential amendments to the Constitution. As host to the Congress, the Society was entitled to ten delegates, and the following were appointed to represent the Society as official delegates: Dr. R. S. Allan, Professor W. N. Benson, Professor G. S. Calvert, Dr. R. A. Falla, Dr. F. J. Filmer, Professor B. J. Marples, Mr. H. C. McQueen, Mr. A. W. B. Powell, Mr. A. T. Pycroft, and Professor L. R. Richardson. The Congress was an outstanding success in every way and the thanks of the Society will be extended at the Annual Meeting to all those who contributed to its success. Fulbright Funds. Possibly, largely to the initiative taken by the Royal Society of New Zealand and by the constant representations made by it to the Prime Minister, the machinery governing the Fulbright Funds was finally set in motion, and in October the establishment in New Zealand of the Board of the U.S. Education Foundation was announced, Sir David Smith. Chancellor of the University of New Zealand, Major-general Sir Howard Kippberger, Editor-