SCIENCE CONGRESS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1633, 27 December 1912, Page 9

SCIENCE CONGRESS.

AUSTRALASIAN ASSOCIATION. Tho meeting of the Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science, in Melbourne, will begin on Tuesday, January 7. Tl.y-3 president (Professor T. W. E. David) will deliver his presidential address on "Australian Climate, Past and Present." As this subject touches on so many aspects of knowledge, nnd as the lecturer has studied it from tho equator to the poles, a valuable and interesting exposition may be expected.

Mr. Walter Howchin, of Adelaide, president, of the geological section, will discuss the 'changes that havo raised the Mount Lofty Ranges and produced the great trough-faults of the gulfs. Tho puzzling great bend of the Murray, whence it. sweeps suddenly southwards to the sea, is likely to receive some light from this discussion.

Mr. F. B. Guthrie, in like manner, addressing the . agricultural section, will deal with "The Eolation of Soil Fertilisers to Soil Fertility.",' Of late years the fact has more and more pushed 'itself into notice that a soil fertiliser need not be a plant food, but that it may act by rendering tho soil more fit physically for plant growth, or that it may be set up chemical changes in the soil which will set free plant food hitherto out of reach of the organisms. _ Mr. R. M. Johnston, Government Statist of Tasmania, will inquire into the probable* effect of tho arbitrary regulations of minimum wage standards upon the cost of living. Amongst the social events will bo a reception by the Governor and the presi-dent-elect, another by the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress of Melbourne, and an afternoon tea at at Botanic Gardens. Professor Baldwin Spencer, who has spent the year in the far.north, will'lec--ture in the Town Hall on the Northern Territory nnd its aborigines, illustrating his remarks with lantern views and kinematograph films which he has secured during his residence.

A feature of the meeting will be the largo number "of short excursions to various places of interest to members, which will in each case bo placed under,the control of efficient leaders. Geological excursions' by motor-car will be made to Macedon and to tho famous glacial beds of Bacchus Marsh, and every visitor will bo sure of finding in the list several places that it will bo of great interest for him to see. The subjects on.which papers are to be regd include:—Astronomy, mathematics and physics, chemistry, pharmacy, geology and mineraloey, biblogy, geography and history, ethyology and anthropology, social and statistical scienoa, engineering, and architecture, sanitary science, hygiene,-mental science, and education, agriculture and veterinary science.