The Organising Committee feel that the interest and usefulness of the Congress will be greatly increased by the usual sectional plan being departed from, so that all papers can be discussed in general sittings. This plan will necessarily limit the time available for papers, but, on the other hand, it will allow the interest of all members to be focused on each question to be considered. To enable the maximum amount of work to be done in the time available, the following arrangements have been made:—
Papers. The reader of each paper will be allowed 25 minutes in which to give a summary of his paper and to reply to criticisms. A certain time, limited at the discretion of the Chairman, will then be allowed for discussion (maximum time—20 minutes).
Should the reader of a paper not desire to exercise his right of reply he may devote the whole 25 minutes to his opening summary.
If, on the other hand, he prefers to reserve a longer time for reply he must reduce the length of his opening remarks, bearing in mind that the whole time at his disposal for the two speeches will be 25 minutes.
Discussions. All discussions are under the absolute control of the Chairman, who will regulate the length of time allotted to each discussion, and to each speaker in that discussion. The Chairman will ring a bell one minute before each speech must end. After the bell is rung a second time the next speaker will be called. The maximum time allotted to the discussion on each single paper is twenty minutes,—to each single speaker, seven minutes.
The names of persons wishing to speak must be handed up to the Chairman before the conclusion of the speech opening the Discussion.
Badges. A button badge, consisting of a reproduction of the head of Sir Francis Galton, will be presented to every Member and Associate.