| Description | First meeting of the British National Committee for Geology held at the Royal Society
Present: Professor L Hawkes (Chairman); Sir Lindor Brown; Mr A J Butler; MR P T Cox; Dr T F GAskell; Professor G Hibbard; ; Dr R G S Hudson; Dr A S Lsughton; Sir William Pugh; Professor H H Read; Dr S H Shaw; Professor A W Skempton; Professor F A STewart; Dr C J Stubblefield; Dr H G Thornton; Professor C E Tilley; Professor D Williams
Matters discussed;
1. Membership and terms of reference
2. Responsibility of the Committee
There was some discussion of the responsibilities of the new British National Com ittee and reference was made to the letter dated 30 October 1958 from the President of the Geological Society to the Biological Secretary of the Royal Society inviting the Royal Society to set up a National Committee for Geology (NGL/2/(59). It was agreed that the British National Committee for geology should take over the responsibilities hetherto exercised by the National Contact Committee as the agent of liaison between the Bureau of International Geological Congress and the Organizing Committee of its Session on the one hand, and the geologists of the United Kingdom on the other. These responsibilities include:
a. Assitance to the Organizing Committees f the Sessions of the International Geological Congress in making their programmes known
b. Arrangements for official United Kingdom delegations to the Sessions.
c. Arangements for United Kingdom contributions to Symposia
d. Participation in the work of the Commissions of Congress
e. Participation in the work of other bodies associated with the Congress, for example the International Palaeontological Union (not at present affiliated to UNESCO).
In connexion with (d) above the Committee noted the following projects being prepared or promoted by various commissions of the Congress, namel:
An International Geological Map of the World
An International Geological Atlas
An International Tectonic Map
An INternational Metallogenic Map
A Lexicon of STratigraphy
An International Journal of Geological Abstracts
A Catalogue of, and research on, Meteorites
It was also noted under (e) above that the work of the Committee might be helpful in relation to such international geological organisations as the International Congress of Carboniferous Stratigraphy and the International Quarenary Association. Professor Tilley mentioned the newly formed International Mineralogical Association which was to have its first meeting in Zurich in August and Dr Hudson drew attention to the unofficial regional committee of the Palaeontological Union in Great Britain.
3. International Geological Congress and proposal for an International Geological Union
Resolved - that a Subcommittee consisting of Professor L Hawkes ()convenor) Mr A J Butler, Dr C J Stubblefield and Dr H G Thornton be appointed to consider the Dutch proposal; to review the question of the formation of a Union, and to report to the British National Committe at its next meeting.
4. XXI Session of the International Geological Congress
Resolved - that it be a recommendation to the Council of the Royal Society that Professor L Hawkes, as chairman of the British National Committee for Geology be appointed Royal Society delegate to the XXI Session of the International Geological Congress and leader of the United Kingdom delegation.
5. Conference on the Mesozoic Era of Hungary
6. Symposium in Bonn and Brussels, July-August 1960
7. UK Gelogists attending the International Geological Congress [in Copenhagen, 15-25 August 1960]
8. Change of Statute
9. Next meeting
It was agreed that the Committee should meet in November 1959, the exact date to be fixed, and that the Subcommittee appointed in minute 3 above should meet at some time before the meeting of the British National Committee. |