INTERESTING BOTANICAL DISCOVERY

Evening Post, Volume LXXXII, Issue 5, 6 July 1906, Page 5

INTERESTING BOTANICAL DISCOVERY

[DT TBLEOBA.PH.— rBS3B ASSnCHATIOH.) AUCKLAND, sth July. Professor A. S. W. Thomas, of Auckland University College, has made a botanical discovery which is attracting considerable attention from scientific men in Europe and America, and has formed tho subject of a paper recently read before the Royal Society. There are two Now Zealand plants long known to botanists as tuesipteris and psilotun ariquetrur, which, Professor Thomas has now found, are survivals of thu fossil plants of tho coal measures of. England, Belgium, and North America —in fact, the whole of the Northern Hemisphore. These coal measure plant* wero thought to have no living representatives extant, and this impression prevailed up to the completion of Professor Thomas's researches. The interest of Professor Thomas's discovery lies in establishing the relationship of tho plants with those which had been thought to have become extinct as living plants, their remains, so to speak, boing interred in coal. Professor Thomas's notes on the subject have been received with something like excitement by botanists at Kew. Dr. Scott, an eminent paleontologist at these gardens, has deferred publication of a work on fossil plants which was going through the press, in order that ho may include a picture of the plants aßovo referred to, together with Professor Thomas's notes thereon.

A number of compositors in Wellington are at present out of work. This morning a deputation of the unemployed tradesmen waited upon tho Government Printer, and urged that they should receive a, share of the work which be has in hand. Mr. Mackay expressed sympathy with tho men, but stated that he was quite unable to give them anything to do just at present, and he could not even undertake to provide them with employment when Parliament sat again. The deputation represented that some of tho unemployed printers wero in very necessitous circumstances, and the suggestion was made to Mr, Mackay that he should arrange that the men who were now walking the streets should be allowed to work alternate weeks with those now employed on the night staff. The Government Printer, however, was unable to kee his way to adopt the idea. Next Tuesday morning, the Anglican Diocesan Synod will meet for despatch of business. The session will bo opened on Monday evening, when Bishop Wallis will give an address in St. Paul's Schoolroom. At 8.30 a.m. on Tuesday Holy Communion will be celebrated at St. Paul's Pro-Cathedral, when a sermon will bo preached by the Rev. T. n, Bprott. The Rev. R. Coffey has given notico of the following motion: "That it bo an instruction to tho Diocesan Board of Trustees to pay to the treasurer of the Bishop Hadfield Memorial Fund the balance of the compensation money received from tho Wellington City Couucil in respect. of town acre 693 ; that H may bo applied by the said treasurer tp tho purchase of a site for the proposed hostel or college." Mossrs. Townsond cud Paul, Ltd., advertise particulars of a sale hy auction of 500 rose trees and other nursery stock, on account of Meiara. Laird and Sons, Wanganui. The sale will bo hold in the Harris-Btroot MUrkat on Tuesday next, 10th jnst., at 1 o'olock. To-morrow A. Lindsay. Ltd., will start their salo of boots and shoes. Buyers are asked to shop early in the d»y.