AUCKLAND INSTITUTE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIX, Issue 6567, 4 December 1882, Page 2 (Supplement)

AUCKLAND INSTITUTE.

The last monthly meeting f f mernhers for j the s«s,ion of ISSi» was held on November | 20 in the Coiinoil-room of the Museum and I Institute Building, I , rince.i street, Mr. E. A. Maclioclmie, president, in the-chair. | Dt».»T[i«NS. -The secretary read the fol- j lowing list of donations :— I 127 i.. utnes. liookf. ami j..-mii-lil.-t-, ri'l.itiiw to the I «uly i..-i..ry of New Z-a ami : 4- :;.-cimens of I aitb:« ;....! fluorsp-ir; iu ttiine »rr-ivhciuls from , Otu-.wiv .luiiiy. New York. I.", lir.u.z* implements. I ne articles from th.; Swi.-s 1....ke ilw-jllinKS : | lKf>:ii»-n-ii)oriry rn ; 4 hum in i;.i-< Lories, ami Irasiii'-nta of oihi-rs. pie-:ej o' pmtory, lioiuau lainji: | — l>re-eiit>:.l by .Mr. J. T. M.ukelvie 4 Oil pointings;— Deposited by Air. J. T. Maclelvie Morse's •'Shell Mounds of Oni'iri. Japan." thr.e ctbuolojic.il pamphlets, TrofctEOr Morso (yer -Miss IVebb). " Tbe Mineral l'roducls of N"«w South Wales," the C -lotiiiil Secretary, New Smith W.ilrs. Skin of Australian dJUr uird, Mr. U". L). α-unu-kelL Skin of ilirin? petrel. C.ipt.iin l'.iirchiM. Stuffed specimen of Au-.tr.Ui.iu huney-catcr, Dr. aiaore. Two kiwis. Maori stone adzes, Mr. .7. 11. .Simpson. Ko eign shells, Mr. 11. Winkleumnn. Tripjer fch, Mr. S. M. lleraputii. lMedspedtnensufN'ew/.enUud Alpine pUnts, Dγ Hector. New Ze.iUndfl.ii mattiug, .Mes-is J. OMliam ami Sons. Mk. Mackklvik's Gifts.—The President, in opening the proceedings, said that he had already referred to yifts presented by Mr. Mackelvie to the institute, aud especially to the collection of books on the early history of New Zealand. He had now to refer to another gift of the same kind, —viz., 127 volumes, most of them connected with the early hi.-tory of this country. Mr. Mackelvie stated iu a letter to the secretary that it was his intention to further any other lx>oks on the same subjects that he could find. The institute had also to thank Mr. Alaekelvie fora valuable collection of Derbyshire marbles, fluor-spar, flintheads, aud other -valuable and -rare objects for the museum. He begged to move the following resolution : — "The members of the Auckland Institute gratefully acknowledge the presentation to the institute by J. T. Mackelvie, Esq., 127 volumes on the early history of the colony, in addition to 108 volumes previously seut; also a number of miscellaneous specimens presented to the museum ; and while thanking him for these gifts assure him that they place the highest value on the rare, and to the colony most important collection of books and specimens forwarded."—Dr. Purchas seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously. Akt TKr.A.suilES. —The President said that lie had to announce yet further valuable gifts from the same generous donor. Tile arrival of the gifts iu Aucklaud by the Loch Urr was announced to Mr. Cheesemau, the secretary of the institute, by Mr. Murdoch, of the B.iuk of New Zealand, iu a letter as follows :— Aueklind, lDth November. — iK'ir Sir, —1 have much pleasure in informing von tli.it in addition to tbe valuable art gifts itlrtMdv pre-rutn! to ilie j.un|.!e of Auckland ny Mr. J. T. Mae'xelvie. the l.och Lrr, now in harhout, brings a cise containing four most Taluablc paintings, which 1 am instructed by -Mr. M»ckelvie to deposit with the institute on the s.me terms as his forn.cr gifts. Of these pictures tl.rcc were purchased at the sale of the Duke of Hamilton's collection in June last, and are nutod in the catalogue as follows:—No. Mj, "Joseph Ktsceiving His Brethren," bv Pontorino. [A-i account pf this picture will be found in Uγ. Waagon's " Art Treasures in Great Britain," p. 2J.] No. 713, "Tim Infant Saviour Sleeping on the Cross," by Guido. 7fi4, "The Martyrdom of St. Sebastian, by t;uidj. Of the former (tiairio) 1 am advi-ed that br competent judges it is considered n better picture than that on the saui'j subject by Murillo. sold at the same sale for £2300, and the latter has pronounced quite as line as the St. Sebastian in lh-_- Uidwich Uallety. As to the fourth picture, I have do advices as to the subject, but it is p.iinted by <J. C. Staaneld. son of the late Claikson Stanlield, and is considered a good specimen of his work. It 35 verv much to bo regretted that Auckland does iiot po«es3 a gallery suitable for the display of sucli works of art as those so generously presented by Mr. Kussell and Sir. Mackelvie, the nreseut available spice being inadequate, for snowing them to advantage. As 1 understand, vuu already have two sab3cripiioi s of jSTii-0 each promised bi two prominent citizens, I mav lie allowed to express a hope that the committee of the institute will, ere long, feel warranted in taking active steps towards the erection of it t'allery worthy of the above gifts, sin, Ac, V. L. MlutDui.H. The President: The Council can take no step. The position of the Council has already been stated. They arc merely caretakers. The gifts are to the citizens of Auckland, whose concern it should be to respond in a manner worthy of the generous donors. As president of the iustitutc, I can only express an opinion that a building outfit to be erected for the reception of such art treasures. As to the best manner in which a due appreciation of these valuable paintings can be manifested, I think the matter could not be in better hands than the Mayor of Auckland. If his hands should be strengthened by the citizens themselves at a public meeting, to be called for the purpose, there ■would soon be a building in our own city tc ■which we could point with pride and satisfaction. It is not necessary to detail the proceedings necessary to bring about such a desirable object. I shall move the followiug resolution: — "The members of the Auckland Institute having received from Mr. J. T. Mackelvie four paintings, arrived by the ship Loch Urr, to be held iu terms of previous gifts of a like nature, tender to him the best thanks of the members and of the citizens of Auckland for such valuable additions to the art treasures of the colony."—Mr. Josiah Martin thought that something in the nature of a convention of the several public bodies interested should be brought to the notice of the Mayor. The public bodies might be the City Council of Auckland, the Society of Arts, the Council of the University. These bodies might request His Worship to call a public meeting, who would recommend to the members of the Legislature to use their influence to obtain the necessary land. The citizens might be expected to raise the building. He seconded the resolution, which was carried unanimously. Natukauseb Plants.—Mγ. T. F. Cheeseman read a paper upon the naturalised plants of the Auckland districts. The paper was interesting as showing the disappearance oi indigenous herbage. The Kakliest Skttler-S.—Mr. E. C. Barstow read a paper upon the earliest settlers. The paper went hack to the days of Cook, and contained several testimonies by old natives to his arrival. It described the circumstances of the massacre of the Boyd, aud related a great many narrations of natives of their earliest recollections ot settlera, the intertribal wars, and massacres. Imaginary Quantities.—Mr. Seth Smith read a paper thus entitled. The object wag to show that the inconceivability of a thing was no proof of its impossibility, that all knowledge was in the first instance based upon assumption, and that the highest science followed by discovery started with the assumption that nothingwas animpossibility. Faith there must be of some kind if any knowledge were to be obtained. Solar Photograpv.— Mr. Josiah Martin, exhibited a very successful photograph oi the sun which he had obtained by a combination of bromide of silver and iodide oi silver. Close op the Sesssox.—The President formally declared the session of 18S2 terminated.