| Description | The Assistant Secretary has shown Geikie Marter's letter of the 12th instant enclosing a notice of motion by Dr Griffiths and Marter, which they wish to be included in the next meeting of Council. Geikie is afraid that Marter is not aware that the Statutes which they would like to see merely embody some of the provision of the Royal Society Charter. Statutes of 'our own framing' can be changed, though the process is a somewhat long one. But neither the Council nor the Society as a body has power to alter the priorities of the Charter. The present arrangement for the change of Council has been in operation for 250 years and, so far as Geikie is away, has never given way to action for its repeal. If Marter feels strongly that some action should be taken, Geikie thinks it will have to be for an alteration of the Charter, and he would have to consider whether the end would justify putting the necessary machinery in motion. |