POLYNESIAN SOCIETY

ANNUAL MEETING. The twenty-second annual meeting of the Polynesian Society was held at Now Plymouth on March 3. Mr. S. Percy Smith, F.R.G.S. (the president), was in the chair. Tho report and balancc-shcet for the year ended December 31 were rea'd and adopted. On a ballot being taken, Messrs. M,' Fraser and F. P. Corkill were retired from the council, but were duly re-elected. The president was unanimously, re-elected to the position. A vote of thanks was accorded to Mr. W. D. Webster for his services as honorary; auditor. The annual rcpo't 6tated that the society'lias now been in existence as a society for tweuytbree years, ,'and has published tirtiicythree volumes of transactions and p'Oceedings, besides one volu'ne cf memoirs, and three other volumes, beiug reprints in book form of papais' originally appearing in the "Quar early .lournal." After dealing with the literary and historical productions" connected with the society, the report goes on to. state j-rrOf ; other work outside tbe society's pub'ications, the society looked forward to seeing at some time two contributions that would, it understood, deal exclusively with Polynesian matters. ' Mr. Churchill's "Samoa ole Vavau" (Ancient Samoa), and Miss Teuira Henry'B .work on Tahiti and its traditions. . .Until these works appear, Polynesian history could not be dealt with comprehensively from the traditional, point of view. Previous reports bad alluded to the new Maori dictionary, a work, which was undertaken by the Ven. Archdeacon H. W. Williams. • Tho sooiety ■ now learnt from him that, he has made arrangements to devote a greater portion of. his life to the completion of this great undertaking, so that possibly nest year might see the work in print. Referring to the membership of the society, the report stated,that it has not increased as it should, . and through deaths and resignations the society numbered less on December 31 last than for the past few. years. The society had lost seven members through death, amongst whom was one of its original members and' founders, Mr. J. R. Blair, of Wellington, and Messrs. G. H. Davies, .C. W. Govett, F. Y. Lethbridge, Taylor White, and Dr. W. M. Woodnorth. In the matter of finances, the balance-sheet showed a credit of £8 3s. lid., against which there is a liability of some £30 (since paid off). The war has affected tho society's finances in the matter of resignations.