Great Barriers Reef Committee's Report.

Six meetings of the Committee were held during the past year.

Death of Scientific Director.—During the past year the Committee has suffered a severe loss by the death of Mr. Charles Hedley, the Scientific Director. Mr. Hedley was in Sydney making arrangements to attend the Pan-Pacific Science Congress in Japan. He was in his usual state of good health, but contracted an illness which resulted in heart failure from which he died on 13th September last.

New Members of Committee.—Dr. P. S. Clarke, Captain J. A. Edgell, and Mr. T. L. Jones, have been appointed members of the Committee.

Boring Operations.—The Victorian Government provided a complete Calyx-boring plant, also a plant for shallow boring. In April, 1926, the plant was transferred from Cairns to Oyster Cay. A large hut was erected on the island and tanks and water shipped over. The work of erecting the plant and boring were carried out by the Goldfields Diamond Drilling Co.

Boring was commenced on May 6th, and work was carried on for four months during which time casing from 7 inches to 5 inches was forced down to 580 feet, and boring rods probed a further 20 feet. As the Committee did not have sufficient funds to meet further operations with 4 inch casing it was decided to cease work, withdraw the casing and remove the plant. Accordingly the plant was transferred to Melbourne in September. Coralline material extended from the surface to 427 feet, when a quartz sand loosely aggregated was encountered. No corraline material appeared in the quartz sand which was of a greenish colour due to glauconite or greenolite. The sand extended to 600 feet without change. The old rocks had not been reached.

Investigations.—Mr. F. Jardine carried out topographical and geological investigations on the coastal area extending from Townsville to the Burdekin River. He concluded that the marine deposits had not been elevated more than 20 feet.

Mr. P. C. Morrison furnished a report on the Barrier Reef Plankton Collections. Mr. G. Stanley is preparing papers on the geology and physiology of the Whitsunday Islands and adjacent coast.

Biological Expedition.—The committee decided to spend a sum not exceeding £1,000 on a biological expedition to investigate the ecology of a coral cay, co-operating with a party of three or four from England which expects to raise a further £500. Two or three Australian Zoologists would accompany the party which would operate for a year. The Low Isles were suggested as a base.

Financial Statement.—This was submitted to the Committee on the 30th September, 1926.

	£	s.	d.
Receipts	4471	17	11
Expenditure	3937	7	10
Balance in Hand	£534	10	1

W. R. B. Oliver

,
N.Z. Institute Representative on the Committee.
On the motion of the Hon. G. M. Thomson, seconded by Mr. Eliott, the report was adopted. Dr. Thomson moved and it was carried, “That Mr. Oliver be reappointed representative on this Committee.”