FRO SCIENCE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 16, 14 October 1907, Page 5

FRO SCIENCE.

y^vc^SOMEJP^ ..i.'jNqw '^Zealand;has'. ■/aty'Mt(resolyed : i.to. l iast. ;ifrora;;her;v ;^onidpn^.thelrepiyacK,:;'of; ;lthe ; irnatipnsp.and'.tq idb^somothingiin.-.the .cause of Now ■ Zoafend has ibeon- reproached ;.'in'thV : at''le'a'st'hef;scientists' have. ' .the^key^of-^ i,jn^ ; up(atvicr doors,: she has ; never proper]j ,: ;'■ 'Y VAu-Reyoir;;'r."S<: I.■■;'.■';■,■;•" j* ■■<■■ '.>:: .■ ■ • .- ■' '•. This; state-'.of-'.affairs; is tb."end right thoro, \'^d'withirr a month..or two wo ; shall bo, , stand- : l ing^metaph6ncally".- : 'and" litcrnlly^^ot- '"■ the. '■" tfhaff. • ends'-waving'-?.our'; hats,' td : -twenty • scientists'': bound;'. f or..' the ■', south-rarid : Fanic. '■' 'A'hey'■'are.Vt'p , r try'"'atVlast' to. fit-our. scientific ■■' lepys infcb v thb ,locks' that : aro supposed to exist • •' in : 'th'6'-'Aucklaiid :V ahd ■ G&mpbeil: Islands, arid spoils.,; .■ ■■.■':. ■~ i ; '■'■•■■ What ? : Are: we -/to.' be; .told ' what' yajieties;/of^flsh' ,: inKabit'!the harbours, ■. whatnbw/ Species'' ( qf.'insignificant flowers' cfcyer. ''the -'soil;' and'■tho' , number of their, petals; ; . or '•tb'*learri ;[ thd s height | ~ b f I 'tho'.'hills, I ; , tlie' torii'shade, the' order, of the strati:fibationVof ■■ the'"■ rocks';- to ;add.-.'a'-'fowiworthy .Now' Zealand,.names;' to" some|:in'conspicuous <: insects'^that'..s&'6oie' i 'away their''fleeting. lh»bs ■;'ben'eath''''dead;:■ leases? -'And'''.nothing-;raoro ? to ' lea'st. ; .■ ing ;at continents. .- ,'Atic'klandVarid;: Camfib'bll (Islands. , for> -evidence; that' i ''Nojr | ; • Zcalarid' : ;was-^or:' ,T?ae'; not—At, ion# , time: joined'to/Australia ''pr:,tp'.'.Afi'ica:pr' to Ekrath America;; We; arb'.'t6' J: delr(i;into' ih'.? reported - prevalence of-- cancer. ; amqng, ,th e. fish ■ of; those regioris..- .We .are.: to'.: in'alte. magnetic '-p.bseryatidns'that'TOll/gbitp'.lessGii.the' all too', ''frequerit-'wrecks^ ■ l ere ; tq ! pry;/-into : problems;;whose money -yaluo. ." is' anot.'appraised' £jei;«ibut;!'whicli ;:may v spm<> ■ dajj'flike"bacteriologyi-:toucE- vital, spots ; iiv i huma^existence^''vo7' •'.■• vjij-'v ."'•':•.■*■-;•■''■■••■!;■' than: Sorip,;-.v;Uy;,.\;-v, ..v;;-,- ; ...v;.: v;,r; : \ V';;ipa7not,'to --value"'in the v eyes;',b'f:;tho: t '.-Btpck"'.'isxchange.v, To has, a .. price'aboverubies and:scrip.'- We.shalL'thercr' , fore,, .wait j eagerly/f or 1 about .sis weeks ; V.hil*' ;'. twenty; pairs , /,pf;Hands vttirn 'the,s&£: ;,laridvarid:CampbcM ,' highly,(intricate :'incntal ; r -, apparatiise? . work •, \ thoughnot" iji;:U,nisony:''at'^east''in-'liarmbnji'j-and thon-we sit .downcpsilV h af While N-.the • JNew,?Zealahders"•' are:'tttis ;i f os-: osicldng;.in , -.thei-lAucklarid-and Campbell!■ Is-i , lands] the'EnglisVexpMitionrtwill .be ispriiit-: ing to tl ; e South .Pole ■; followed by the Trench and, they Belgians'and :perhaps r soiric'others.' t Th.w'y i c^r j arid sub'TAiitarctic ;; : Several ■,'dt.':.these r '. ; ;'expedi';'|tion?:' "a|)qut ( tqw ; . : they' will i get'':ttiefe7' : whetßer I'the, '■jftoter;,cariwill"'bre^ :hp^,^uch)rthbyy J ;'WeiaveVtak'eh;it\ppbn;/burselyes-fe Bubjecjt.from poinVi: arid;.askv'-" What ~isVgding.tof i e.ithe.g oqd-ioffiftall,?, ' ' iWe-asked-: .' Professor •"KirkjJ the "expdrienced-bidlbgist^at l . it, is, only, fair-to;:him ; to' sa^'th'at'we^asked^himj'rato I^^''''-^^^^:'-^:^'. ,'.;' "Ifj" he; replied; : - (, ybu^asK ! ' : irie T what^.'die-' money in-;;tboc.AUckJ^tfd>.:andj\CampbeU.(rs)andß,'.:l-:'am'' - if ; ha'ving t.ime'tp. think ''the. ; niatter over frbm^th'at;p ; bint'i'oF.' r yiew;.;l Imust ; say,: that;-I; do.■■npt',lmqw.^hat>twe'expect to .'doesii't perhaps-;take"thej'same.! .viow;of. ; -these, mat- ; the.'.'general;,pui)lic. ! 'v iWe see : . other. ■; TS'. U ?'- i th. a .i i. money' ;,y aluq '.in;,; scientific''. diei -;.^; l^agnetiO;-.s,uryi .ej..;-has.-.been..onr-.ried.'put veryvwell;now'for ."the.main.islnntt«' ■of;-, New;; .buti jhbt-.-f or ; ; the aoutlying r islands, (ahd'that.is to'bo made a.part ef !th« ~fo the..exneditionjby,the in that. Thou ;all>:the',. : wpr.l.d. ( is.,eage'r ;tq .get.-ai-:botanioal, fpplogical r an'dgfiological survey :of. the islands made.; ;V Iniaddition;tp.otir-own;.expedition thqre. is ;to; bo. an i expedition! proper: ■/rpm^£p'g]and tibn;'to,,'rierra;fdel;,Fuego and (thoiiFalklana ■Islands—all fromj'thescieritificlpoint.of'view, rather ihanithe-ieconomical.'/,;. v ; :■ -v.. ; .'--.\:;i ! %n "*", .'■}. ■;)'(.. "Tfie /geologists ■: are 'jthe'.' men.'. most '. likely _ Jo, make .discoveries" -of, economic interest. They;are 'the..only- people j likely "to. look for. ■them.,'-Any-'of '■ the.others of>ho■ expedition : v.P?yj : "l<PXe7er;.?.dis6oYJy'*Vsometjiihgjof>''Ta , liw: I incidentally,';hut'thoir' lines!, bf rescaich.. do not point, so.much; in: the direction''-'o£-gold, anwr: discoveries,niay, .to the merchant,-eee-m :,Talneless-attthfe'time,,- but.they' may become: invaluable-hereafter to T th'o. lives and: health, ofihumanity,' • .'.That.'was the; case.with .the 1 - discoveries iof ; i -The --first-'delvers: ■among■,micrbbes'.!neyer' .ahticipated:''tliat '■ the' •■wiencO'Wpuld: become'of'such ■importan'ce i -tb' ■ ,lf \ ' a ?/ ]t ;is'to^lay.':•.-We' ; do not : know;--ovon v.yet,;.what:is,,going.to!be-thelimit:,of/thb'value- - of, bacterioldgy/'.; OurCsection of the scientific •-v(orld;has long-fdlt-':it' to-bo somewhat' of' a these islands"were so near'to■ns:;and:yet were- so littlo':knbwn.-' -It" is tnat pnvate',>individuals-,liave': i neglected ! ahy or^orWnitios'-of ';going';' th'b'ro; '■'-buf-'.'that 'the •opportunities havb-beenlsp few." ";;'':;"-■■ : When '-we were Joined to^Cont|nents, ; >':.' i '':/' : Yqu ; .hope;tq'discpver-— r 4?i'; '■'..], *\ :/■:.,.y\ -\ \ : ■ "Wβ;; who;', arq-f 1 biologists':','-;hpbb'.', tb'-' : gbt-i 4 . a P°. n e;.a,hundred.■,o.ther;;discoyerips '.that.vWen -.s°areh for—somb.'light on -the- principal New- Zealand fauna nnd flora—their conncc-' ~tipn..wjth iand,(liffor.encq'-..0m -tbo Australian ; ,noticeably ; still—thq. Southt Araeri-; pan and African fannr, and flora./...We do\not. .assume -that.;the : esistencq' pf - : wingless birds; :forjexampln, ln.these;parts:and.their absence .iromi-the .•northern-.hcinisphorb '• is'; devoid-' of ■4™ o TP r tt.ble.j.v-Acl?n.tinorv'cx'Elanation.:,..;-Th'e: .common.existence«of, wingless .birds..in New. , Zealand;(Australia,! Africa,>So«th America, 1 :. and; other. southern;.lands ( :is' t probably- dub , to ;.'• a': recent '-.relationship,;'.between■ the .-'diSbrerit groups-of,-these'-biuls.; -I Apparently the i only; explanatipn is' that, sonjoforrner-land-cohncc-" . : :tign.,:cxist<cd-|botween'.'.thoir''..different iregions.' ButKas-to thc.'.details^f,that connection there' is a very.great,differbucoVpf.opinion. ;■; Connecting «--.■■■; .. [■] '■.. Africa/.'the , emus,-,pf.-Austra|ia,' ; :thercassWarios- of .;the-' ' islands;.- -the ,c>tinct-;mpas iof :.New; r Zcaland; : and the wingless goose, which is allied to'the 'Australian, typo'-of'gooso!;' and pur kiwi of the : present.-.(lay.:.:A reariyj'enormbus-assemblage ■ .ofiwingless ibirds'-existed jiist/before historic trmes in'NcwZealand:"rThere ; is no reason to. suppose'they originated-hbre.'bccause''other; cduntriesihave.tliem ;'a'nd,this'grcat southern .dovclopment J'of -Tringless ,; birds- cannot have. .-••- bqcn ■• accidental, - or ■ h'avb'' taken '■ place" ■ inde--1 pendently , ' in • each of th'csb separated'ter-ritories-without-some'cPnimunity -of origin: :■.: Lessons from the Earth;,W.OTms.; ; '; .'- ,' ! ~ '■: !'.Tliese;.arq not ;the..only; animals that'.show: ,-this connection, :of,;cpurse.; Tho earth-worm nndinuite a number;of other things show-:tho, . same, evidence;very,'markedly..:..Wc'havo ah .. Australian;affinity.'shqwn.Hn..the.enrth-worms. ■ftftd' a .'still mdrei pronounced' affinity in!tho ■ South African .'■worms;.-- The, European : earth-- " ironn, although qlosoly -resembling iiiappear»nco';the •; other γ-earthwflrms,'- : his, ■ importantdifforenccsjV;, Tho, Enropcan .e'arthirorms '.that Bre;ncm ; found injSo'w Zsaland and Auitralia , ' .•re.'of.vreceat.'/ijrigin,/ and,:were, evidently/ hrought- hero-.:.accidentally ;with •• plants.""'.Oil'. Iho'.otlier haiidthfe' genera of earthworms that- ,: belong to :New;2f!iilftud;'arq.-!qnito. untnistak-' , ahlbi -and spmc ; -.qf.;them : arc:clbßeiy allied "to.the; genera '(that '.-exist, in Smith .-.America; NOTertliclijSs; ''they.'-possess '•Biffero'nces?-.Which' })iol6g'Tsts knbwcomb of. long isolation.; .Thus tbo.-lsnd eqhnbctidn must.: have -been •qf. , ,vb'ry. early.date;' and we'cannot.tell in .what order She. different, Jafid-.'connections''occurred." '■' ,-

A Wellington Treasure. : ■ _ Professor Kirk then produced a largo.glass, jar - 'containing specimens of poripatoides iNpvae :, Zealftn,diae reprbsdnting one of the creatures referred tb,' in whoso strange body ;is .yrrapped aip the secret, of oiir laud con•nectton: with throe- qbntinqnts.:.; It had ;boon 'resting- 1 beneath ;'sdme fragmonts .'of rotten :■ -woody .when tho 'Profossor ■made' it : run from

cover;;;' it "was' an i uncqmmon-lookingV.Telvety' obiect, .rich black in Colour, all over, with an .inclination-to,'exhibit-a purplish bloom: and along■ea'clrside.liung'flftten fat, short; jointless lin\bs,.with,which ho .walked—or, rather, ran:'.. Why -ha, should., keep and feed thirty of these fat appendages seenied incompfeho eibloj.he could liavq walked, much mpro grace--fully.' if possessed of -just. six legs like, any .othor.respectable.insect.'. .- . ... ■ • The- Perlljsof Biology.;' : ' : ■■ ; vv - '■"' , ■'' "[ - : ■ v .;„ At. .'the .'.end' ,bf.;.each .pf^ : tho| thirty- limbs was a.pair ,df■ very minute.claws—so..minuto that one. had to;ldok:'very closoly/to see them. , v y\o .stooped: t0 , ,-look,-, when—swish I .-Tho:eroatuTß.|s'i;at.,. l ; .',,r i v i ,vH... .:..'.■■..,;".■:.•.,'.-;' " ' ■ ■ .. t 4'ho 'Professp'r.'.laughed ..a-nd'.obsorvcd'.that,-:l.ike.»:cer,Uih;qtbcir:cr.eaturo known to'novel .rM<lcrs, :i he,-'could, , ;;e.ilciiJf.teV;thft..clistanc'o.'' ;. His.range .is, six -inches, , V-qon'tinubd : tho Pfe-' fesssr..;;. "lio.'spibs but-a stick 1 , fluid, "usnally .for the -pnrposc- of.icatching,..rasects.- '.-The sti,cky,-luid,entangles; the' 'itosect's.' legs.-and , ho tbcn.advaiices.upon itj'and'dcvburs it:,'? ; • j.;-,rho..stic.kj'.fl'uid:.thaf hacljust-beeu ejected ; tangled up, nllnhb. bits of- .debris : in - its noigh- {!?.! lr ,n°«!,' Just,.as, a, spot-.of treacle, would nave done. .;...','..',. : ,.- ~ :.-■.■;..•'"■! Cautjoua (nyestigatibn, M;;i i-V V;/;- '..;..; Mindful of the danger to ourselves, we car."euVput:,our,:futiire operations--at!.'the:pn.d .of:a.stipk,.that.'rbncheddbeyond- tho-isix-inch-Timge,. and ; with', this. We, twn.ed the creature,,.over::to count,his legs.. ■'-.If-.Jnw-'-ob-: ~Tiqusly,i>anv; uncomfortable- attitude, and , .'ho.•(ras. as.■ helpless, as aifallott-.ehcep..--,lf the. inrects. that:;ho;attacks .onlyi:k.new- this trick!..Wo .thus- pliiyed; with-twoi of too creatnros;':»nd; their lengths .were respectively- about on» janditrrbjißches::,. j ~/ ■ , ', ,;,'. ■ ,;,,-:-■ ■;-:■,,..■.■; -~ His Loeal Hsunts. •- ;' ;'?\-' : '■}''■'.' ".''"} • "This /is'.- one. of :New-': Zealand; •pecies," said the Professor,.."and it ir notiltpgether ~rare. Haven't you ever discdyored itp'iWelV.peThapsiybu, wouldn't :unless you were looking 'for,it.. It- can-be, found, quite: .ciose ( itb.;Wel?iiigton;:if you. only" know:wh'or,o :.tp::.lbok.. : ,lt, : can; be ,found,: 1.-think, in' the Hotanipal .Gardens,; .but, L expect,, the -cus---.fcodjan j would { object if,, a-' lot., of-.people ■ wnnt; ther.e turning l over.stones and: bits-of rottenwood ae.afchmg;for.;.peripatoides.; It-is,in-, 'teresting; to.'us now'.as one of; a geiius of insects which throw light upon burformer'tbninectibniwith..other..lands,, for it exists .-in South AmeficaV. New-Zealand,. Queensland, ,the; : We.st,;lndies, ,and,South. ; Amcrica.':,"- -. '■■',■■ Will 'the Future Reproach^Us? ':';.;';/; T;-Then.',w.itn : ,;'a'; burst ,qf: gratitude.'.for.-the ,'cdniirig>';'expeditiqn,;',.he;. ;; : ."Oiir :children : in]. years 'reproach'' us:| for ou'-'negligence, , . but : : bur.'present. Govern-", ment.hasjdqne pore;thari"any:previous'Gov-,'ernmeiit■,.for.',Soionc'e..'-;;.Politicallyj'. of : -courso,' .one; ..'■Gtovertimbnt.',';is the.v.samb; ...to-us--as' l/anothoi , ;"- \'.'j--: ■'J:-;',';;'..'...;. ;■'.';-,' .-'-'■' ,':■■,::.•:'.■:>, ■-■ ..■.'■; ; ',"-S.p long;as ! thgyjhelp;ja]jsng.;piql,bgy?.,. '■ .-.'/' Well, I'dori't'know that I :> would' 'quite, make, that the',test.',..Gqpd-Jbye!''; ,:,■.'„ ■; .It will',be,interesting to romoraber that Peripatoides' Novae.; Zealandiae, the ohject '.pictured'-. : .ih our, had'the.distinction of.-being'convoyed i'aHye' to England on many,, occasions,:. So, much is it ■ prized ;by .naturalists! :-Mri,,-Noel'.Bafraud, ; of Wellipstrin/ seiit numerousVconsignments- toA.tk< Cambridge '■ "University twenty years ago, by the aid of vMr. Edgar; J. chief "officer ef.-thbiShaw,' Sayill/and,Albion Cd-'s'steamer :;Tainui?-.' : .'V'; ! ;;;v: ; .'..i.';' ;, -'".;.';■'•■..;;, ;;•:;'-.■':-.;•:-- '' ■J^'.' " 'I)Ei?^DED^YITHE i AnNI > S& -.^ ; :-:(i' ';i'<.^PP A .■,;::'■ '■]■■ ■:.:■:■ VSPLEiroip DONE. ' >: I i'--'^hef.ffon/-'' : ,(3e6rge'' l --F6wids,' :: :-Mraister'''.fprJ Education .hasv-handed-'-the following 'state-' jnent to the press , :—• -'■-'..<- :-. ' ' -..--.; .-:-. , • ":My. attention has , bqen .directed to a ppb.lic attack.upon.the ..Native./school,.sy.stem,_ which riot'long ,, 'ago was'made by'a m.ember-,qr the,'! HawWs : 'Bay- -Education .'Board, 5 'arid it'seems'desirablb'that'l:;should;'say' soniethirl'g; uipon'-the.,subject'.'; v Tlie'-gentlemaii! referred , to :has;i ; l believe;'no personal knowledge'of'Nativo schools, and certainly he has'made.-state-ments in regard tb.them which have rib justi-- , ' . fleation' iwhatovor ,'in ■ f act; •;''• Ho ■ has.'made ■ a computation.of;the relative , cost per head of ;Natiye and European education, and states it (to be'i £6,55:> 6d: ;, . in -the one case; and '£3 2s. "4d; intho dtheri :>.With-regard 'tb this, , ; I need; only; remark , , that* ariydnoi.who.'cominits'.him-. ,selffto,,the'statemqnt;-that'th'e cost of .'public ech'ool'cducation'- is.'£3i2s.> :4d; per'hdad-has obviously so little :knbw]odgo :oh the■;subject'.•as/.to"; be [quite,.unpntitlcd to'speak about,it; i; ■ . '■' Ho- says ■. that 'tho' toachors'-are • not .'paid , according to ; average -'attendance ('-the.pe--.partment .-'has, 1 not; hampered''tliiir'.pbt .'bf|'apring-,- the-Native'-schools;. with such'condi-.' 1 ■tioris'l;,..' a.lsoi;^hb:' says,i 'Ini-three.VNative. .schools'in this'/district-tho Department havo ■provided;£3o worth of' biscuits fbr- lunch for khe.'N»tiye:children'.'.There is' no truth:whatr :«ver in. either.of these-statoment's. ■'.]'■'" ... '.- '.' He i 'states.';-the. , result: of .the exppndituro. on Native' 'schools ais-follows drib per, ccnt.'(orily per cent'.) reached the seventh' Standard-;'': only'two'■' per -'cent: '•- reached ; :.tho :iixth. Standard , ; and ■ • only' : four -'fper- cent.'. Tcaehod: the fifth.'-"This:looks serious until, ■ eric 'tuws.'tb-the 'Standard classification' of the pupils schools arid finds'tlio percentages thcroto'bs 3.59, 8.24;. and W;W respectivoly i ,.;not :-a-'widely ,! difforent-,-result: when.the , circumstances are ; duly.considered. IfJmust'ibe remembored 1 '> that '/the; .Maoris' learn'.in p'ractibttlly'.a foreign tph'gneV'.'V'.' : ; . f i"Then there'is'the'following statement:—. ■The'standard.was far;frpm'whet.they would ' expect 'from-; a', public; sohopl.' ' The ■ teachers; were for:-the: most rjart uricertificated, and there wasnq supervision of SchoorCommittco or Education Board; only an "occasional visit from an inspector.' .The chief complaint.of European ■: parents; who werb : compelled'■ to send their children to a : Native school,'was •against the sanitary arrn'ngomonts, -that-was, where-thoy existed at"all. '•.■■ln- most .cases they: were'. conspicuous ■ by • their' absence Europeans 'complained that no attompt'was madeto-keep tho'children clean,'except.on the: annual visit of; the inspector. , I -have not yet had theopportunity of acquiring great personal rknowlodfie..of 'tho.Nativo ■schools, but/during my administration of the Dbpartroont; il havo foimtl instances' of 'splendid wofk.'being "done"-in-' them,, and liavo ; learned j enough to make me confident ■ that there: is no.-need for. any disparagement of this'kind. .1 find that in tho Hbu'so those' mombors: who know the Native:'schools''.beet are tbe.most-kindly disposed towards thorn. I .remember: that at the rdcent outbreak of skin , disease'•-at; the. Rotorua Public School every, child attonding tho Native-school was found'to, bo 'absolutely, dean and; free from disease; and. I know that in another cdttcatipri district the result of an agitation against a Native school, was-that the Chairman, of .after--visiting and thoroughly inspecting, it, reported that if ho lived-in the placo ho.wouW certainly send hie.Pwri children to , 'it., I therefore ask the public'not,to ; bb influenced by . statements Such as I: : have ■criticised." ■. . .'. • ..' . ' . .