DUNEDIN NATURALIST FIELD CLUB.

Otago Witness, Issue 1191, 26 September 1874, Page 11

DUNEDIN NATURALIST FIELD CLUB.

The annual meeting of this Club took took place in the Univeisity Building last week. In the absence of the President, Mr Alex. Batbgate occupied the chair. The attendance of members was not numerous. The following report of the Club's proceedings for the past season was read by the Secretary, Mr P. Thomson :—: — In laying the Report of the Club's proceedings for the past season before the members, the Committee have much pleasure in congratulating them on the amount of success which has attended their labours. The number of members has largely increased, and the attendance at the various excursions, though very irregular, has at times been very good. Botany, as usual, has been the chief study of the members, and some first-rate collections have been made ; but other branches of out door science have not been neglected. In addition to the Port Chalmers Railway, a section of the Clutha line is now available, and a large extent of comparatively new country will be rendered of easy accoss to the members— viz., Chain Hills, Saddle Hill, Brighton, the Collieries, &c. In the other direction, a good road to Deborah Bay has opened up another very interesting section of country, both geologically and botanically. Your Secretary distributed copies of last year's Report pretty liberally to most of the centres of population in the Colony, as well as to a number of similar Societies in the old country. Eleven excursions were made during the year, being two fewer than last year. 1 1 is worthy of note that a great many of the Saturdays of the past season were wet and stormy, which led tc frequent postponements of the arranged excursions— fine Saturdays being the exception The funds of the Club have stood all the calls made upon them, and there is a surplus to stait the new season with. It will be remembered that at the last general meeting it was proposed to hold one or two indoor meetings during the winter ; but circumstances always intervened to prevent the intention being carried out. However, the Committee ha\ e not lost sinht of the desirability of meetings of the proposed nature, at which papers could be read, collections compared, specimens exchanged, and so on, and will yet endeavour to carry out the idea. From the Treasurer's report, it appeared that there was a balance left with which to commence the new season, after providing for all previous expenses. The following gentlemen were proposed as office-bearers for theensuing season : — President, Captain Hutton ; Secretary end Treasurer, Mr P. Thomson. Committee — Messrs Bathgate, Beverly, Dr Black, Hodges, Jennings, Purdie, G. M. Thomson. Ten new members were elected — Messrs Wicks, Petrie, Lord, Allan, Percival, Buchanan, Hendly, Aristide Couvarel, Wathen, and M 'Naughton. A conversational discussion took place on various objects of interest, to which it was thought desirable the attention of the Club should be directed during the session. Papers were then read by the Secretary on Purehurehu, and by Mr Purdie on some new plants discovered by him during the past summer. The first excursion for the season was fixed for the first Saturday in October, to the Forbury, &c.