SCIENCE IN N.Z.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 500, 6 May 1909, Page 4

SCIENCE IN N.Z.

SUGGESTIONS FOR ITS ADVANCEMENT. The' Wellington Philosophical Society opened its 1909 session at a well attended meeting in the Dominion Museum last night. Tho president (Mr. A. Hamilton) occupied the, chair. Mr, C. E. Adams stated that tho Government had had established beaph-niarks at the ohief ports where there were tide gaugesl In Wellington beach-marks had been placed on the Bank of New South Wales, the Equitable Building, and tho western pjer of the large 40-ton crane. All these structures-wero founded on solid ground: or rock. The meeting passed a resolution of thanks' to tho Surveyor-General for tho interest he had ehown in. the matter, ■ which was stated to be of considerable solentifio impprtanco. ■"■•' < ". " i : Tho president, in his' inaugural address, entitled ' Soma Suggestions Concerning Scjontifio Research in New. Zealand,"' dealt - favourably with, proposals'-fpr making the libraries of tho different, philosophical societies and institutes available to tho members of.all. Hβ read a oirpular on tho subject, which set a scheme of specialisation, under which each society woiild collect books on definite'subjeots, and the whole together would constitute in a sense ono library, andi thero would be one card catalogue. lie'suggested that tho society should move to have ethnological and naturnl history collections mnde in the Cook Islands and pthor outlying possessions, of Now Zealand. 110 noted with pleasure tho increase in the number of collectors of insect specimens, and hoped they would pnss beyond the collecting stago to that of research. He also suggested that botanisU and other naturalists should be assisted by the erection at the cost of the (Society of a'small weatherproof structure'on the'-'.Tararuas, per. haps at the hill called tho Quoin, which was easily accessible from Kaitoke. ■ A- similar shelter on Itunpehu should also be very useful to members. Mr. namilton aloo roiceA appreciation of tho scientific work done by momfora of tho'socioty nnd other's during tho past year, and endorsed tho appeal of tho'' Polynesian Sooioty for funds for printing.jts researchce, and concluded with an eloquent recommendation of tho, study.of archaeology. .: . Tho, address was heartily applauded, and a vote of thanks Was accorded fo the president, on the motion of Mr. G. V. Hudson,' Professoi Kirk also spoke of tho value of, tho presidont'i suggestions, ,

A paper entitled "Notes on Now Zealand Lepidopera," by Mr. K. Meyrick, 8.A., P.R.S: wna opmraunioated by Mr. Q. V.' tyudson, and token ns rend. A philological paper bv th« Bev. C. E. Fox, "Ooeanio Comparatives, 1, wal partially road by the secretary, and othoi papers, qntitjed as. folIoir;-"On the Leal Anatomy; of Oleria Xaounosn," by Mr.'T L. Lancaster; "On the Ahatomy of Haliotls Iris," X M V f--c G ,\ f Stuckojv M.A. A paper oY "Vond Luc,", by Professor Kirk; \yas poet poned oiring to the lateness of the hous . ,