GIRLS' READING UNION.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 10138, 26 August 1904, Page 2

GIRLS' READING UNION.

ADDRESS BY REV. H. WILLIAMS. There was a large attendance at the Holy Trinity . Schoolroom last evening, when the Rev. H. Williams gave an intensely interesting 'and instructive, lecture on natural history. Natural history, he held 1 , was.a very wide subject, and would take them into every, possible chan. nel of investigation. The speaker then went on to describe the many different "ologies" connected with it. New Zealand was 'a distinctly volcanic country, with its numerous hot springs and extinct volcanoes.' If they went about with their eyes open they Avouldt. rapidly increase die knowledge about*' these s«pjects. The study of insects was very interesting,^ such as the vegetable caterpillar.. The spider he held was not an insect, although it could be studied with a great amount of interest. Very little, indeed; was known oMhe shells on the East Coast, so tliere was. plenty of scope m that respect for testing their powers of observation. The rev. gentleman then dealt for some time with botany as another pleasant subject to investigate. With close scrutiny it would take them into a very interesting field.of slujdy. He hoped the Beautifying Committee here would try, if possible, to preserve the trees now withiu easy reach, so tliat the ladies could go and investigate for them, selves. Animal life was another wide subject. He wanted to stir some of them up to study some sort of animal peculiar to New Zealand. Not ..very much information could be gained by investigating .the tualara- (oue of which, the speaker possesses), as it was of "rather a shy disposition. The bird life of , New Zealand was also interesting, and there was much to lie. ascertained about that class. Our birds , were genuine aboriginals, -but as civilisation advanced some have become exliucU; The bellbird was. almost, if not quite, extinct, but the speaker liad learn,ed tliat that species are beginning to appear'again. The fuct thajt the bird life is disappearing should only spur them on to observe the native birds of the country. It >vas not necessary to wait until they had read about them, but it would be more- profitable to study sparrows m ordter to acquire the knowledge of observation, so. that when they came m contact with any native bird they would be able to observe it. The speaker then referred at some length to the sub-leader which appeared: in the Herald of August 12th. He was glad) that the children were to be eueouraged to study Nature. This was a- very important part of the education m America. ' It was also necessary for those residing m. towns to spend their holidays m the ' country, so that their observal-ive powers could be utilised, for. there was. very little scope m the town life. In dealing with the Maori, Mr Williams sa^id! there was a good deal yet to be fouud'out m connection with that race.. When they began to study it they would have to go into all kinds of problems to I'earn where the Muori,originated. The advantage of studying that race is thatit would take them into other fields of .interesting subjects. . The speaker concluded by suggesting the books) tliat were suitable for the study of NaA lure, such as the writings of Darwin, Wallace; Kelvin, Seaton, Thomson, Buller and others, and. urged them not to rely altogether on tlie books they read, but | to try and do something m tlie way of personal observation, and obtain some practical result; . During the evening the following items were- contributed : Songs. The Blind Boy" (Mr Mitchell), "Golden Love (Miss Williams), "Russian Love Song" (Mr Newton) ; . pianoforte solo, "Torchlight Dance," Miss F- Davies; reading, "The Old Clock on the Stairs.," Rev. DawsonThomas. After one or Iwo questions had been asked upon tlie subject of -the address, Mr A.* Graham moved tliat a vote of thanks be passed to the lecturer and others taking part, and' this was carried by acclamation. " ' ■ -'■■■.