NEW ZEALAND INSTITUTE

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7038, 28 January 1910, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND INSTITUTE

FORTY-FIRST ANNUAL MEETING. AN HISTORICAL REVIEW. Members of the New Zealand Institute gathered at the Dominion. Museum yesterday for the forty-first annual meeting, the .president, Mr A. Hamilton, being in the chair. PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS. In an interesting presidential address Mr Hamilton traced the history of tho institute from its origin as the New Zealand Society in 1851. Sir George Grey was the first president, and there was a council of the leading men in Wellington. This society had a short existence, and died a natural death on the departure of Dr. Ralph from New Zealand "in 1852. Its property then passed into possession of the Provincial Government, and was held by it until 1858, when a new society was founded, and the nucleus of a museum was organised in the then Provincial Government Buildings. In 1861 the ISew Zealand Society was reconstituted and wa6 soon after merged into the Wellington Philosophical Society. Tho !New Zealand Institute was established by law I" the same year and then became an important scientific organisation, and under the management of Sir James Hector and various boards of governors, nominated by the affiliated societies, continued to publish an important series of annual volumes until in 1903 the institute was reconstituted, and, it was hoped, entered upon a new period of activity. Dealing with the development of scientific research by the Government, Mr Hamilton said that much hard work remained to be done in which honour was to be

obtained. The institute still had beforeJ, in its>old ideals, with a greatly increased!* opportunity to realise them. It was in-) terested in everything connected' withj the material welfare of the people of/ the Dominion, and with the resource* of the country. The only one of the: many avenues into which human industry and human activity was which was closed to members was politics. Interesting references were madoi to exploration work in Antarctica and' the Southern Pacific, and in" concl-nsion; Mr Hamilton urged the governors of tho) institute to. give without .weariness their! help, counsel and encouragement to theother members that they might be inspired to labour earnestly in the pursuit of truth, that they might thus be led.on to make mew discoveries for the benefit of mankind. The Hon. D. Buddo moved,- and it was unanimously agreed, th-at a hearty vote: of thanks be accorded to the president for-lie address, which was ordered to bf printed in the "Transactions." THE YEAB'S WOKE. It was stated in the annual reporl that a supply of diploma forms for honorary members of the institute (drawn up by Mr Chapman) had been printed, and a diploma had been sent to every honorary member elected 6inco 1903. The Hutton Memorial Deed of Trust had been duly executed and handed by the treasurer, Mr Chanman, to the Public Trustee, Fifty-ono back Volumes of the " Transactions" had so far been secured, which would enable several sets to be completed. Through. the kindness of tho Minister of Internal Affairs three months' work was done in the library in sorting serial It had been resolved that all matters in.! connection with the printing of the* "Transactions." tho price of which t* non-members was fixed at 3s per year., bo left in the hands of the editor and! the Government Printer. The commit-i tee had accepted a tender for the pre-, paration of an index to the "Transac-;. tions," the -price being £3O. The carda: had been prepared and were ready forj printing. | A report was received from tho Publioi Trustee that the balance on credit of the Hutton Fund held on behalf of the: institute was .£595 3s lid, which included, interest at 4J per cent, to December 31st. The statement of accounts showed that the receipts totalled £330 -Is sd, includ-t ing .£392 10s lid, balance from last year,, .£SOO /Government grant. The expenditure was £534. the balance in the banJe being £402. To the Government Printing Office £429 was due. It was also. reported that the Carter Bequest Fund.' stood at £2S9I 15s sd, including £2,3 a ; 16s 5d balance at December 31st, 1908. . There was £2859 invested by the Publio Trustee. The reports and financial statements were all adopted. ' It was unanimously agreed to accord votes of thanks io tho Minister of In-j ternal Affairs, the Hon D. Buddo, for, tho assistance of the Government in arranging for the classifying of periodicals; also to Mr J. M. Thomson, -J.P.. for his work as editor of tho Proceedings " and "Transactions" of the institute for the past two ycaTß. ■ The next annual meeting was fixed to be held in Auckland on the last Thuredav of January 1911. Mr A. Hamilton was unanimously reelected president for another term, and Dr. Chilton, of Christchrarch, was appointed editor of the " Transactions."The standing committees were re-elected.