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R. M. Johnston memorial lecture: Science and sea fisheries with special reference to Australia

Dakin, WJ 1934 , 'R. M. Johnston memorial lecture: Science and sea fisheries with special reference to Australia' , Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania , pp. 1-40 .

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Abstract

One of my very worthy predecessors has indicated in his inimitable
way the difficulties which face anyone honoured by (~lection to deliver
a lecture which has been instituted to bear memory to a great pionem·.
'l'here is to my mind always much difficulty in framing those lectures
which are expected to do justice to a seat of office. The task is,
however, immeasurably greater when a lecture is to serve as an
offering in memory of a great man. The best I can do is to choose a
subject close to my heart and I have selected one associated with
the sea for I was first trained in a school of Marine Zoology at a
Univel'sity in a great seaport~that of Liverpool in England, and
since I was by nature fond of the sea, my investigations have practically
always been associated with marine problems. Whether the
work was what some would call of pure scientific value or not, it has
almost always been intimately connected with fishermen and fishery
problems.
I make no apology, however, for selecting a subject associated with
the sea and its products. The history of Hobart Town itself, its
early pre-eminence in whaling and shipbuilding, is fortunately somewhat
familial' to me. Is not this the obvious place for discoursing
on sea products? But that is only to provide the background. The
man whose memory we honour this evening was ,me of Tasmania'"
pioneers in the fishery problems. For several years he was a
member of the fishery boards. He was the author of a number of
papers on fishes. Moreover, if it were Johnston's hobbies~geology,
zoology, and botany--which claimed the attention of his brotlwy
scientists, may I say that Biological Science to-day is bceoming in
many fields a statistical science, as you will see tonight. R
.Johnston's life work was that carried out as the pioneer Government
Statistician for Tasmania,
I render my homage gladly and humbly to his name. Australia has
urgent need to-day of servants with such broad outlooks

Item Type: Article
Authors/Creators:Dakin, WJ
Keywords: Royal Society of Tasmania, RST, Van Diemens Land, natural history, science, ecology, taxonomy, botany, zoology, geology, geography, papers & proceedings, Australia, UTAS Library
Journal or Publication Title: Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania
ISSN: 0080-4703
Collections: Royal Society Collection > Papers & Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania
Additional Information:

Copyright Royal Society of Tasmania

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