The Status of the Tasmanians Among the Stone-Age Peoples. Presidential Address for the Year 1924

Abstract

An apology of some sort is so usual a preamble to an address, that I might be tempted to court originality by departing from the normal and foregoing the confessional. Circumstances, however, are compelling in my case and I have no opening for escape. In the first place a combination of factors prevented my delivering a presidential address to the Society during my term of office, and for this I owe sincere apologies. I have to ask you in your kindness to accept this as a belated and actually “post-mortem” address from your late president, delivered, as it is, under the aegis of my successor in office, to whom I desire to offer a cordial welcome and sincere congratulations. At the same time I wish to thank the Society most heartily for the high compliment which was paid to me when I was invited to assume the presidency last year. It is difficult to say how very highly I appreciate this kindness and courtesy.In the second place, my choice of a subject needs at least some explanation and, if possible, justification. I cannot avoid the confession that the topic which I have selected has no direct bearing upon East Anglia in particular, nor, indeed upon Great Britain in general. Having confessed this with all due apologies, I must try to justify my temerity.