NATURALISTS’ FIELD CLUB

Evening Star, Issue 20864, 6 August 1931, Page 14

NATURALISTS’ FIELD CLUB

VISIT TO THE MUSEUM .On Saturday afternoon a largo party of Field Chib members was shown the anthropological collection of the Otago University Museum by Mr H. D. Skirinor. The introductory cases wore first pointed out, those on the left being devoted to man’s nearest relatives, the apes, while the cases on the right of the 'entrance displayed man himself, both present-day varieties- and fossil species and genera. , Passing through the archway into the now wing,, the party came to the Maori -collections. With one or two exceptions the cases along the north side of the wing lipid material from Murihikn. For museum purposes it is convenient to use -this term to cover the districts from South Canterbury to Southland. First the greenstone was examined, a collection which, though surpassed in the matter of individual species in some other museums, probably stands first in allround excellence. A notable featnrfc is the collection of greenstone drill points. The tikis were next v and their range and variety were admired. The various cases containing-adzes, textiles fishing gear, and cutting took were examined, and some time was spent in the Maori bouse ami .its ids tory outlined. Attention was drawn tthe large canoe and to the canoe carvings and fittings. A tour Was thcr made of the upper gallery, where th Old World arms were especially admired. The most attractive of tin Polynesian collection wore those of. tlu Austral Islands, Tonga, and the Marquesas. Before the party dispersed r ver.v hearty vote of t banks was ac corded'Mr Skinner for the interesting afternoon ho had given. LECTURE BY MR ROBERT GILKISON. In spite of the boisterous weather, there was a good attendance at tin indoor meeting on Monday evening, when Mr Gilkison was specia'lly re quested to tell some stories’ coimeetes with the early history of Otago. Thlecturer chose to call his subject ‘ / Stormy Petrel on the He non, 5 ani though ho did not deal with “ niltura history ” as generally implied by th term, he certainly characterise “human nature” in a very ehtortair ing manner by telling some of.the ir cidents in the life of the late Jud<Ward. After describing the; judge ar giving a few characteristic anecdote; ho told how Judge Ward in 1860, who sitting as an acting judge, 1 had qua relied with all the other judges ov tl)o Rmythies case, the admission New Zealand of a solicitor who b been convicted in F.ngland of forge: The quarrel was so keen that none the judges attacked (Arney,- C. 1.. a Johnston, Richmond, and Grosson. JA would ever sit again with' Jnd Ward, and thus the latter's hope being called permanently to the R preme Court bench whs entire blocked. ; A photograph was shown of l’ wrecks at Timaru in 1882, when Jm’ Ward rendered valuable service rescuing shipwrecked mariners. Af leaving the judge the lecturer wont to. toll how John Graham and tilt? I . Judge. Bathgate had exported eats the West Coast, and one of Gralia - - advertisements was exhibited. Mr S. Angel, in moving a vote thanks to Mr Gilkison. said that, lecture was akin to his book ‘Kr Days in Central Otago ’ in one respe in so much that its only fault was t ( - it was too short.