The Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1869. NELSON INSTITUTE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IV, Issue 47, 26 February 1869, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1869. NELSON INSTITUTE.

The annual meeting of the members of the Nelson Institute, was held in the Reading-rooras, on Wednesday eveniug last, at half-past 7 o'clock. In the abseuce of the President aud vice-President, Dr Irvioe was called to the chair. The Secretary having read the annual report and the Treasurer's balance-sheet, was proposed ou the motion of Mr Luckie, seconded by Dr Tatton, that the report and balaDce-sheet now read, be adopted and carried unanimously. The following gentlemen were then elected as officers for the ensuiug year: — H. Adams, Esq., President; W. Wells, Esq., Vice-President; O. Curtis, Esq., Treasurer; J. Percy, Esq., Hon. Secretary. Committee — Messrs R. Burn, D. Burns, J. T. Catley, A. Fletcher, A. Greenfield, W. C. Hodgson, F. W. Irvine, and E. Pollock. The question of affiliation to the New Zealand Institute was taken into consideration, and the course taken by the committee fully approved of. A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the proceedings. ANNUAL REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE OF THE NELSON INSTITUTE, February 24, 1869. The committee have much pleasure in laying before you the Annual Report, and account of receipts and expenditure for the past year. The committee have for some time past felt the desirability -of delegating to sub-committees the management of the various departments of the Institute, and appointed in February last Ist. A House Committee, a Library Committe, and a Museum Committee. This plan has enabled the General Committee of the Institute to gain a fuller insight into the management and control of the internal and practical working of the institute, in connection with the museum, each sub-committee making it its special business to ascertain as far as possible the requirements of the departments entrusted to its care, enabling the general committee to effect the improvements from time to time suggested. MUSEUM. Under this head, the committee have much pleasure in reporting that they have received large and valuable additions to its mineral collections during the past year, of which tbe following is a brief summary, vis.: — 193 specimens, selected by Dr. Hector, from the duplicates at the Colonial Museum, Wellington, and comprehending six series. Ist Series.— N. Z. rocks, numbered aud arranged in the catalogue upon " Von Cottas' system," containing 95 specimens. 2nd Series. — Selection of N. Z. ores, minerals, and metals, 17 specimens. . 3rd Series.— Hot spring deposits, 5 specimens silicious, 4 specimens sulphurous. 4th Series. — Brunner coal-mine, 8 specimens. sth Series. — Rocks associated mth the Taranaki oil springs, 3 specimens. 6lh Series. — Variety of minerals from South Australia, 40 specimens. Miscellaneous. — Volcanic bomb, 1 specimen. These specimens with others in the museum have been lettered, arranged, and classified by Dr Hector, in accordance with the great mineralogical division, and made to correspond with Von Cottas', numbered so as to allow room for expan- j sion (by addition of new varieties) without causing a break in the numerical order of arrangement. The Museum Committee also report the addition of 30 fossil specimens, embracing 19 species from the Colonial Museum at Wellington, also a variety of specimens of New Zealand woods, tested and marked as to strength, <&c. A very valuable collection of fossils, containing 90 distinct species from the strata of Germany and Austria have been received from Professor Hochstetter whose letter accompanying the same is appended to this report. Other valuable contributions to the Museum have been received during the past year from the following gentlemen, viz. : — Dr Williams, Nelson ; the" Provincial Government; Mr Ladley; Mr .Wix; Mr W. Hargreaves; Dr Smith; Mr J. Bentley; Mr J. Moore. The Committee desire to take the earliest opportunity of expressing their warmest thanks to Dr Hector, Professor Hochstetter, and the other contributors for their very valuable presentations, and venture to express a hope, as the Building or House Committee contemplate immediately adding considerably more space to the Museum, that the contributions thereto will largely increase. Dr Hector, has also kindly promised, as soon as the additional space is provided, to re-arrange and put the whole collection into properly classified order, either himself or by a qualified person from the Central Institution at Wellington. LIBRARY AND BEADING BOOM. During the past year 108 volumes have been added, making a total number of volumes of ,2667 now in the library. The number of subscribers was 236, and the total number of news-

papers and periodicals issued during the year, amounted to upwards of 3000, independent of books, of which 206 were in actual circulation at the close of the year. The library committee have also had several of the monthly periodicals bound in volumes, and these have proved a considerable attraction to subscribers, as evidenced by the continued demand for them. . . The committee have to express their warmest thanks-; to H. Wrigg, Esq., C.E., for his very valuable and liberal gift to the library, of six splendid volumes of Native printed ferns and seaweeds. HOUSE COMMITTEE. The House Committee having had under consideration the deficient condition of the various chimnies in the Institute building, have had five of them altered. They have also availed themselves of the waterworks supply, and have had the water laid on, so as to command the roof in case of fire. The Chamber of Commerce having ceased their occupancy, the furniture and maps remaining in the room occupied by them have been taken at a valuation. The House Committee have also submitted plans for the alteration of the present reading room, so as to render part of it available for the museum; these plans with some modification have been adopted by the General Committee. The committee have to thank Dr Hector for his valuable assistance to the Institute, also for an able lecture on the Geology of New Zealand given by him on behalf of the Institute; also Mr Russell, of Wellington, for his musical entertainment, the proceeds of which were applied to the Institute. During Dr Hector's visit here he made a proposal on behalf of the New Zealand Institute for our application with that body this the committee for various reasons thought fit to decline, the subject is yet however open to discussion and the Committee will be glad of an expression ot opinion on the subject. _■ iwiiwi ii il" in mf^—^— — — — — ' i 1 ■— — -— — — — — — -—