AUCKLAND INSTITUTE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 6950, 26 February 1884, Page 6

AUCKLAND INSTITUTE.

The annual general meeting of members was held yesterday evening in the Muscnm Building, Princes-street, the Right Rev. Dr. Cowie, Bishop of Auckland (President) in l the chafr. The minutes of the previous annual general meeting were read and confirmed: DONATIONS. The President read the list of donations since the last ordinary meeting, viz., 45 volnm.es on "The, Early History of New Zealand," by Mr. J. T. Mackelvie ; also seven valuable oil paintings, placed in care of the institute by the same gentleman. The President said he would be happy on the present as on former occasions to convey to the kind donor the thanks of the members to Mr. Maokelvie for his donations. He might at the same time be permitted to assure Mr. Mackelvie that the greatest care would be taken of the valuable works of art which he had placed in charge of the institute. All the paintings had especial value. They were works of artists of repute. One especially was worthy of notice, namely, "The First Easter Sunday," by Armitage, R. A. This picture was an excellent example of that artist's style and manner. Mr. James Baeeh, C.E., moved, and Mr. Graves Aickin seconded, " That the thanks of the members of the institute be forwarded through the President to Mr. Mackelvie for his gifts to the institute." Carried unanimously. Tho Curator (Mr. T. P. Cheeseman) read the annual report as follows :— BIEMBEKB.—The number of members elected during the past year has been unusually small, amounting only to 12. In tho previous icr the elections numbered 34. The losses i -a been: fiy rteuh, 7; by resign .tion, 6'; and by u <ault of subscription for two consecutive years, IC. There is thus a net decroase of 17, the. totnl number on the roll at the [.resent I time being 301. i Finance —As will be seen by the annexed balancesheet the total inconin for tho year ended February 20, 18S4, was £122 9a 3d, of which £294 consisted of In tho previous year (13SC-S3) the t ital rot income was £ioi 8s Id ; and the amount of subscriptions, etc., £317 2s. The expenditure has amjunted to £»72 103 Gd, leaving a balance of £50 Is 3d due to the tsank of New Zealand. Tho expenditure of tho previous year was £397 Ss 6d. Costley 'Bequssi.—The members are doubtless aware tbat on ibe decease of the late Mr. Edward Costloy, of this city, it was fou»d that nearly the ! whole of his larje fortuno, climate l at over £70,000, had been bequeathed, in equal shares, to seven Auckland institutions, the Auckland Institute >--irg one. Probably no long period will olapio bjfo.e the institute receives its share of the ta-quest ; tho executors, Mr. 3. Jackson and Mr. D. Heao, having been for some months actively en:a;ed in the work of realising the f state. Tho executors ha\iug requested that three gentlemm should bo nominated to receive the bequest on the ptrt of the institute, the Council have to roport ihat Mr. G. Aickin, Mr. T. Peacock, and Mr. H. G. Setb Smith havo been selected for this purrose. The Council have great pleasure in congratulating the members on the altered position and improved prospects of tho institute duo to Mr. Costley's timely munificence which they trust will long remain in the grateful recollection of the people of Auckland. Museum Endowments.—The lands selected by the Government as an endowment for the Muroum, undor tho provisions ot the Auckland Muaram Endowment Act, 18S2, were gazetted'Shoitly after the publication dowment is ves:ed by tho Act in tho Waste Lands Board, so far as the sale or lease of the properties is themselves in communication with the Board, and at its request forwarded full suggestions as to the best methods, of dealing \wth the endowment. It was understood that these suggestions wore to bo adopted by the Board, but from reasons which have not yet trampired, no action whatever has yet heen taken. This delay is ereitlv to be regretted, "not only as pretimber blocks aro being rapidly denuded of kauri by duced. Tho management of the endowment would have been fir butter placed in the hands of tho Council of the Institute, as tho boJy most directly Interested. Meetings.—Six meetings have been held during the sesi'ion, at which the following pipers were read : —I. Inaugural Address, Dy tho President (the Right Rov. W. <J. Uo«ie, D.D ). 2. Xotice of the Disuoverv of the genus Ilhagodia in New Zealand, by T. F. Cheeseman, F.L S., F.Z S. 3. On a now genus ol Silphidoi, by Captain T 3roun, M E.S. 4 Our Water supply, by Mr. Justice Gillies 5. On the effect of extreme cold on flshes, by Neil Heath. 6 On some newspeciei of the genus Sagoln, by Captain T. Broun. 7. Oα tho Botany of the Thames G"ldfields, by J. Adams, B.A. 8 The Law of Tolerance, by E. A. Alacxechnie. 9. Further experiments with Sorghum, by Mr. Jnitice Gillies. 10. on tho Pottery Clays of the Auckland I'rovincinl District, by J. A. Pord. 11. Comparative Philol ,gy and its Relation t> Polynesia, by Professor T. G. Tucker. 12. New species of Carablda, by Captiin T.. Broun. 13. Recent additions to the New Zealand Flora, by T F. Oheesemau. 14. On the nat iral sproad of Eucalyptus in the Karaka district, by A. T. Urquhart. 15. A visit io the Lord Howe s Group, Western Polynesia, by G. H. Moore. 16 Psychological Investigations, by W. D Campbell. F.G.S. 17. New species of Coleoptern, by Captain T Broun. 18. The Spell of the Supernatural, by E. A. Mackechnie. 10. New species of tho New Zealand Earthworms, by A T. Urquha't. 21. A Revision of tho New ZeaHnd suecies ot Varel, by T. F. Chee«eman. 2-2. Ihe Citizenship of Women, by Dr. W«llis. 23. The New Zealand Railways, by S. Vaile. All the above papers have been fomarded to the Manager of the New Zealand Institute, at Wellington, with the view of a selection being made for publication in tne forthcoming volume of " Transactions." ■Museum.— The ; humber;.bf yi-itbrs to. the Museum continues to increa-e in steady ratio, but in the absence of any recording mech iiiism, it is impossible to give accurato statistics on this point Through want of fund", the Cuunci 1 have bean unable to remove Hny of Ihe checks to the progresi of tho Museum, m-ntione i in the report for 18>2 , bat the receipt for the Costley bequest, and the revenue which may be fii'ly expected from the Government endowment, will proba ly allow considerable improvements to be made during tho coming year. In anticipition of an increased revenue, arrangements have been made for the omployment of a permanent taxidermist, and a thoroughly competent workman has heen s-lected, and in a few months will arrive in AuckUnd. It is also hoped that funds will be available for the erection of new show-cases, and other fittings, for a long time I urgently required and for tho supply of other pressing wants The additions received (a full list of nhich is appended) have not been ne&riy so numerous or valuable as during tho previous two or three years. This ii partly due to the Curator havinj be.n obliged to suspend the usual exchanges with foreign Museums until proper fittings and other appliances are supplied, there xeing a' the present time no provision for tho safe storage of additional ipecimens Art Collection's. -Through tho continued liberality of Mr. J. T. Mackelvie, the art collections (temporarily deposited ~in. the .the institute) liivo received several important additions during the year. Almost immediately afier tho publication of tho last report a consignment arrived of IUS frameii w iter colour, pen and ink, and pencil sketches mostly by well-known artists. This collection will doubtle.s use of art students, tho main pnrpese which Mr Mackolvie had in view wh»n forming it. The next donatinn was a charming antique bronzo statue of lifesize, i f tho Greco- Roman period, originally found at I'oiiueii and for soma tiuio part or the collections araai>ed by Murat, when King of Naples It may. perhaps, be looked upon as the most valuable of Mr. Markulvie's prc«entations. The mo3t recent addition consists of ."even oil paintings, all of considerable merit. A full description of them has appeared in the daily Pross. but attention may ba drawn to " The !>a?»nof the Kirit Ka,ter Suud.iy," by E. Armitage R. *.. ns a painting of great ex-ellencc, ann a good example of this well-known artist's stylo. Auckland is certainly under gieat obligations to Mr. Mackelv e : iml every Undent and visitor to the Museum must have gratefully acknowledged the many heneiUs and pUisures which hin gifts have supplied. In addition to Mr. llackelvle's pre»ensations, Sir G. Grey has placed thrre excellent 1 paintings, by Metscher, Stodart, and Blake, in the care of tho Institute. These will form valuable additions to the Auckland Art Gallery, for which thev are intrndod. The Tree School of Art. the expense of whi h is still altogether borne by Dr. Campbell, has been regularly kept up during the year, with a very gratifying attendance of students, Library.—The Council have to acknowledge tho Public Libraries' Subsidies Act." Tliii :'amount lias been expende l in tho purchase of standard scientific works a list of which is appended The most importintdonktian has l.euu a further instalment of 40 book 3 and pamphlets on tho early history of the colony,contributed by Sir J. T. Mackolvie, who has dose so much in this direction during past years. Tho eiine gentleman has also forwanleu a number of miscellaneous works, among which are the six recently issued volume of the Scientific Report of the Challenger Kxpeditiin, an acquisition of freat valuo and importance Mention should also be made of a complete set ol tiie publications nf tho Ksic* Institnte, ll.i A., oblmnedthrough tho kind offices ot Mr. V. R. Webb. The Council tru»t that after this year it may be possible to devo'e a tlxed sum aunutliy to the gradual increase of the library, which ii still very deficient iu many departments of suentitle literature Com-llsion.—Before concluding this report, the Counul wish to draw the attention of the mombcri t-, Graham ariii Co i and.Mr. H. Craig as agents of tho Institute in London and San Francisco. The thanks of tho Institute aro »Iso due to the Pacific Steamship Company, the New Zealand Shippinc Comuany. and other shippii K linns for their kindnots in carryigg freight freu all packagos intended for the musaurn. The.PHESiDBNT moved the adoption of the report. Air. Mackechnie, in seconding the motion for the adoption of the report, rcgietted that so little had been done towards utilizing the endowment during the past year. Hβ hoped, however, that an appreciable income would be derived from it during the ensuing yoar. Tho motion was carried unanimously. ELECTION .Oβ OFffICKRS. On the metion of Dr. Porchas, seconded by Mr. Mackeciinir, Judge H. G. Seth Smith was elected President for the ensuing year. Bishop Cowie and Mr. Mackechnio were elected Vice-Presidents for the ensuing year. On the motion of Mr. Mackeciinik, seconded by Mr. Graves Aiokiv, Mr. T. Peacock, Professor Brown, and Dr. Murray Moore were elected to fill the vaeant seats in the Council, caused by the retirement of Messrs. W. D. Campbell, H. G. Seth Smith, and Mr. Justice Gillies, The following, therefore, aro the members of the Council for tho ensuing year :—Messrs. G. Aickin, , J. L. Campbell, Neil Heath. J. Martin, J. ,A. Pond, Dr. Purchaa, T. Peacock, Professor Brown, Dr. Murray Moore, ■and, Colonel Haultain. < Mr. Thomas Macffarlane was elected auditor for the ensuing year, with thanks tor his services during the paet year.

,?: It was resolved that it should be a recommendation to - Conncil that during the en. suing year Hhe- time for ' commencing the .ordinary meetings should be a quarter to eight instead of half-past seven o'clock. ;' : ■- ; i: On the 'motion' of Mr. Josiah Martis, , . seconded byi-Mr.'"James Baber, the thanks of > the ! members were. given ; to.,the retiring President for;the' services' he;-had* rendered to: .the institute'during the past year.i "".v.-; ■.■'■': ■:': .■His Lordship'■: having -.acknowledged .'.the: complimentpaid him by thepmembere/the' proceedings; terminated! ■)■';;::''"^ ;.":' -.". .i,7"'.