AUCKLAND INSTITUTE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXII, Issue 135, 9 June 1891, Page 2

AUCKLAND INSTITUTE.

ANNUAL MEETING AND INAUGURAL SPEECH.

Professor F. D. Brown occupied the chair at the annual meeting of the Auckland Institute last evenmer. There was a very fair attendance, several of the gentler sex also being present. Mr T. F. Cheoseman read the list of new members, as follows :—T. Allen, Auckland; E. S. Brookes, Wbarebine ; Rev. H. S. Davis, Lake Takapuna : W. G. Rathbone, Auckland ; Dr. T. O. Williams, Thames. There have been a good many donations since last meeting. Captain Fairchild contributes 12 specimens of selaters penguin (living) from the Antipodes Islands, skin of platycercus uniator albino, skin of mutton bird, eggs of albatross, two large crabs from the Auckland Islands, jaws of large cuttle-fish, rock specimens from Cape Saun-dei-s, stone axe and sinker from Jackson's Bay ; Colonel Carr, skin of land rail; F. George, skin of morepork ; F. Lee, large centipede ; C. Spencer, New Zealand shells; E. B. Moss/New Zealand shells; S. S. Monro, collection of rock specimens from the Sandwich Islands ; D. C. Wilson, collection of silver-bearing rocks from Puhipuhi; Dr. Campbell, coal from Northcote ; E. J. Brookes, senior, ancient cause head,' greenstone heitiki, greenstone axe, three ordinary stone axes, copper coins ; E. J. Brookes, junior, numerous stone axes (some large sizes), wooden axe handle, carved canoe bailer, portion of mast of canoe, moa bones from the Oruawharo river; J. Monro, five stone axes, fewo sinkers, one ornament; J, Watkin, a grinding and polishing greenstone implements; F, Marcroft, six sbone axes ; B. Blackburne, five atone axes.

The books presented are: "History of Arc in Phcenecia and Cyprus" (A. G. Hunter), "Catalogue of Crawford Library, Edinburgh" (Dr. Copeland, AstronomerRoyal for Scotland), " Journal of the Society of New South Wales for 1890 " (the Society), " Proceedings of the Australasian Association for 1890," 21 pamphlets on the early history of New Zealand (Dr. Hocken), 23 New Zealand pamphlets (R. Church), " Manuscript Diary," kept by Mr Mourant of a visit to the Chief Heke, 2 copies Maori Messenger. President Professor F. D. Brown then

rose and read a long but interesting inaugural address. He lamented the wanbof the literary genius of a Lamb or a Sterne, which could have invested the most trivial thought with human interest, and which would have lent to even the most unpromising subject a charm which in ordinary hands ib could nob possess. Lacking this, he would merely deal svith the matter in its everyday aspect, review their position and endeavour to learn whether it is susceptible of any improvement. After a short review of the past, Professor Brown deprecated the reading of scientific papers being the chief object of the Society. The day for reading papers had,he explained, passed away when cheap printing began. It was the reading of such papers that made their meetings dull, as some members unhesitatingly declared them to be. The causes, the precedents, and the general use oi such papers were discussed at length. They might comfort themselves, however, with the thought thab tho reading of scientific papers was by no means the chief object of their existence. They maintained an important public museum, which claimed and received a large proportion of bheir attentien. After some remarks on the endowments and general position of the Institute, the speaker proceeded to give his views on desirable improvements, which might easily be made. The crampedness of room in the present building was alluded to, and the right form and structure for new premises dwelt on m detail, They must not attempt to be ornate as to exterior, but so to speak elastic as to interior. The importanceof making bhe collection in tho Museum as interesting and instructive to the general public as possible was also touched on. Without an increase of space in which to place the Maori and ethnological collections all the efforts of the curator were in vain, and all new additions only resulted in the crowding and consequent hiding of exhibits at present in the Musenm. Thab specimens of Maori art are worthy of being housed properly was evident to all by the splendid collection deposited by Captain Gilbert Mair, whom he took thatopporbunibyof thanking for exhibiting such an unrivalled and beautiful collection. The question of the cost ot a suitable building and the funds in hand was then gone carefully into. On the authority of Mr Bartley the speaker declared that a building 103 feet long and 50 feet wide could be erected on this spot tor £610. The costs of fitting would be £400, and the re-arrangement of exhibits perhaps £200 more — altogether £1,200. By the sale of a block of land in Coromandel a sum of £1,000 was in their hands, and a promise to pay £2,000 more at intervals of a year. Further financial details showed the Institute well able to undertake the work. He hoped that before long they would be able to place before the public a well ordered collection of Maori workmanship befitting a city whose history was so intermingled with that of the natives. Dr. Bakewell, Rev. Dr. Purchas, Mr Mackechnie, spoke briefly, tendering thanks to the chair and commending the new building scheme.