LECTURES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 8355, 8 September 1890, Page 10

LECTURES.

A i.ectcre was delivered at tho Young Men's Christian Association Rooms on August 19 by Mr. C. E. Button, on the subject of tho "Rotundity of the Earth." There was a small attendance. Professor F. D. Brown, of the Auckland University College, delivered an interesting lecture at tho Auckland Institute on Aug. 18 on "John Dalton and Hi* Work." Mr. James Stewart, President of the Institute, occupied the chair, but owing to the downpour of rain there was rather a thin attendance. ' A largo and enthusiastic audience assembled on August 25 in t he Chemistry lecture room of the Auckland University, to hear Professor Brown's lecture on " Magnetism." The lecturo was concluded amidst loud applause, the audience being highly interested throughout. The PrcTfessor then invited any of those present to inspect the laboratory. The Rev. Mr. Yes ton, of Parnell, proposed a very heartv vote of thanks to Professor Brown. Captain Thomas seconded the proposal, which was carried by acclamation. A fourth lecture on the subject of " Electricity," given at the request of a number of people, was delivered on the 21st August at the Young Men's Christian Association Rooms by Mr. Crosher, who selected as his special topic, Medical Electricity," and conducted several interesting experiments, including some that showed tho decomposition of water. A very interesting and instructive lecture on mnemonics wa« delivered by the Rev. Mr. Perry at the Free Methodist Church, Mount Eden, on the 20th August. Mr. •I. Batger occupied the chair, and briefly introduced the lecturer. The rev. lecturer

introduced tho subject of his lecture by describing the principles of mnemonics, viz., observation, association, and retention. The lecture was interesting, and the examples he t»avo were very striking. On September 2 a lecture on "Tho Battle of Tel-el-Kebir " was delivered at the Y.M.C.A. Booms by Colonel Carre, before a large audience. Colonel Haultairi presided. The lecturer detailed the events leading up to the battle, and described Tewfik Pasha, and also Arabi Pasha, who had come to the front from the lower grade as an officer, and had become a popular. man by removing many of the abuses of the army. The meeting of the Sultan's envoy from Constantinople, and the two Pashas at Cairo was well related. Colonel Carre said that I he and a friend were waiting at their hotel for the correspondent of the Times, who had an entry to the meeting. Eventually the correspondent came to tho hotel, and stated that all (he trouble had been averted, as tho Sultan's envoy had declared in favour of Tewfik, Arabi having been turned out of the room. It afterwards transpired that Arabi and the envoy had planned this incident, and when Colonel Carre was at Venice, returning to England, he learned that hostilities had begun, and had had their commencement in a street fight. The lecturer related his return to Alexandria, the arrival there of the expedition from England, under Sir Garnet Wolseley, the Battle of Kassassin, and eventually that of Tel-el-Kebir, giving much interesting information regarding these incidents in the campaign. A vote of thanks was given to the lecturer. A collection was made on behalf of the funds of the association. A lecture upon the subject " Land Law Reform" was delivered on the 28th August at the Wesley Hall by Mr. W. J. Napier, before a large audience. Mr. G. L. Poacocke presided. The tenor of Mr. Napier's address was that a tax should be imposed upon the value of the land, without improvements, and he maintained that such a tax would be justified by the records of history. Another lecture on the subject, " Electricity," with experiment*!, was given by ' Mr. Crosher, at the Ponsonby Hall, on the I Ist September. ;