PUBLIC RECORD
OFFICE
Reference :-
C.O.885
21 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-
74
that if, as appeared most probable, the froghopper would have to be dealt with by means of a parasite, it would be of little use to consult Professor Went, who was a mycologist and not an entomologist.
3. Copies of the following papers connected, with the scheme for the institu- tion of an Imperial Bureau of Entomology were received:
(1) Report of the proceedings of the Conference between representatives of the Committee and of the self-governing Dominions on the 12th of August, 1912.*
(2) Secretary of State to Governor-General of Canada, 3rd October, 1912.† (3) Secretary of State to Governor-General of Australia, 3rd October, 1912. (4) Secretary of State to Governors of the Australian States and Newfound-
land, 3rd October, 1912. §
(5) Secretary of State to Governor of New Zealand, 3rd October, 1912.||| (6) Secretary of State to the Governor-General of the Union of South Africa,
3rd October, 1912.1
(7) The Secretary of State to the Governors of the Eastern Colonies and Fiji,
3rd October, 1912.**
(8) Colonial Office to the India Office, 3rd October, 1912.††
(9) Colonial Office to the Treasury, 3rd October, 1912.#
4. Mr. Marshall presented his Quarterly Report to the Committee (annexed).
Five points arose on the Report for consideration :—
(1) Is a sharp distinction to be drawn between the proposed Bureau and
the present work of the Committee in tropical Africa? Without arriving at any definite decision on this matter, the Committee inclined to the view that the two sides of their work should not be separated.
(2) What should be the designation of the Managing Committee?
The Imperial Bureau of Entomology" was the designation which had been used for convenience in the correspondence to describe the new central organisation which it was proposed to set up. The alternative would be to continue to use the name by which the Committee is now known, viz., The Entomological Research Committee." It was decided to defer the discussion on this point until the scheme was further advanced.
(3) Are the contributing Dominions and Colonies to be asked to pay for the new monthly journal! If not, how are the free copies to be allocated? Lord Cromer suggested that in the first instance free copies might be sent, but that the Publication Sub-Committee should have an opportunity of discussing the matter before a final decision was taken on it.
(4) What arrangements are to be made with regard to the periodicals which
will be accumulated by the Committee?
Mr. Marshall suggested that possibly the Committee might hand over these periodicals to the Natural History Museum. Dr. Harmer observed that, owing to lack of room, some of them might be rather an embarrassment, and that perhaps it would be best to wait until the Committee had had experience of the number of the publications coming in. Mr. Read concurred in this view. It was decided that Mr. Marshall should make such temporary arrangements for the disposal of publica- tions as might appear to him most suitable.
(5) The definition of Mr. W. North's position.
Mr. Marshall informed the Committee that he had engaged Mr. North at a salary of £300 per annum, after the August Conference, in anticipation that the scheme for Imperial co-operation would materialise. Dr. Harmer enquired whether the accounts of current entomological literature in the new "Journal " would be abstracts or merely a summary of results, and whether Mr. North would be able to cope with this work alone. In reply to the first question, Mr. Marshall said that abstracts of short articles would be given and reviews of long articles, but that there would be no attempt made at exposition. As to the second question, he pointed out that in the estimate for the new Bureau provision was made not only
• No. 56.
† No. 66.
‡ No. 67.
§ No. 70.
| No. 68.
No. 69,
.. No. 71.
†† No. 72.
‡‡ No. 73.
75
for an Assistant Editor, but also for a further assistant whose work would be con- fined to the "Journal"; moreover, £100 had been allowed for outside help in con- nection with translations. It was probable, however, that it would be necessary to engage a typist to deal with the correspondence which was certain to arise in connection with this work.
As regards the definition of Mr. North's position, the Committee agreed to his being styled, and performing the duties of. Assistant Editor."
5.
A copy of the Report on the work of the Committee sent by Lord Cromer to the Secretary of State on the 8th of October* was received. Lord Cromer said that his first impression was that the Report should be signed by the whole Com- mittee, but that as it contained certain well-deserved expressions of thanks to the expert members of the Committee, he decided that it would be better for him to sign it. He added that he wished to take this opportunity of thanking Mr. Read very warmly on behalf of the Committee for the great assistance that he had given them throughout, and he was only sorry that it had not been possible to acknowledge his services officially in the Report. The Committee cordially endorsed these remarks.
6. The Committee considered what action should now be taken as regards co-operation with the West Indies. A memorandum showing the present position was circulated. All the West Indian Colonies had now agreed to contribute, so far as it was possible for the Governors to give any promise before the votes had actually been approved by the local Governments. The chief difficulty was to settle from what date the first contributions should take effect, as some of the Colonies con- templated paying over their contributions at once and others not till the next financial year. Mr. Marshall said that he was already doing work for some of the West Indies. On Lord Cromer's suggestion, the Committee recommended that the West Indian Colonies should be informed that the first contribution should strictly be paid in respect of the current financial year, but that where it was not feasible for a contribution to be paid until next financial year the Committee would not press the point.
7. A letter from the Commissioner of Agriculture for the West Indies as to the appointment of an Assistant Entomologist for his Department was considered. In view of the fact that Dr. Watts could not find half the salary for such an Assistant, the Committee reluctantly decided to drop the matter.
8. Copies of a despatcht from the Acting Governor of Trinidad on the subject of the Committee's offer to pay for one of the Government Entomologists to visit experimental stations in the United States of America were received.
Annexure.
REPORT OF THE SCIENTIFIC SECRETARY FOR THE QUARTER ENDING 30TH SEPTEMBER, 1912.
Undoubtedly the most important event in the affairs of the Committee during the past quarter has been the Conference with the entomological representatives of the self-governing Dominions and Colonies, the report of which has just been con- sidered. As a result of the discussion at that Conference there seems every reason to believe that the proposals then brought forward are likely to be generally adopted by the Governments concerned; and in view of the fact that their replies to the circular despatch sent by the Secretary of State will be received some time before the next quarterly meeting of this Committee, it would seem desirable to settle at once certain points which require consideration.
In the first place, it will be necessary to decide whether the Committee's new organisation is to include the old, or to he kept as a thing apart. In the recent negotiations the proposed extension has been provisionally referred to as the Imperial Entomological Bureau, in order to distinguish it from the Committee's work in tropical Africa. Members may be reminded that the only essential difference between the two organisations lies in the fact that we send two of our own men to tropical Africa for purposes of entomological instruction, collecting, and research; whereas in the remaining Colonies this work will be carried on entirely by their respective
* No. 1 in [Cd, 6429], November, 1912.
30949
† No. 51.
‡ No. 60.
Ka