PHILOSOPHICAL INSTITUTE.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume III, Issue 882, 7 December 1916, Page 12

PHILOSOPHICAL INSTITUTE.

THE ANNUAL MEETING.

The annual meeting of the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury, held last evening in the biological laboratory of Canterbury College, was not largely attended." Mr L. Birks presided.

It was announced that some important additions to the institute's library had been presented by Mr H. T. Ferrar. The chairman stated that a general public meeting of the New Zealand Institute is to be hehl in Wellington on January 30, the special subject, for which will be the application of science and research to industry. Dr Farr stated that he had received a letter from Sir Douglas Mawson, asking him to thank the bodies which had assisted in successfully urging the Government to make a grant toward the cost of his expedition. The annual report stated that 10 ordinary meetings hail been held during the year, five addresses being given and 24 papers read. There are now 181 members on the roll, 13 of whom are on active service. The council has recognised the importance of furthering the national movement to advance scientific research and extend the application of scientific knowledge, addresses by Mr G. M. Thomson, M.P., and Prof. Easterfield having been arranged in this direction. In connection with the Government research grant, the institute's application for part of the £250 has been approved by the New Zealand Institute. Investigations are now being arranged on the phosphate rocks of Canterbury, the deterioration of apples in cold storage, and the electrical prevention of frosting in orchards.

The balance-sheet shows that the receipts have been £274 12/10. The expenditure has been £lOl 5/2, leaving a credit balance of £169 7/8. In the discussion of the report, Mr L. J. Wild urged that more frequent meetings of the institute should be held, and that the publication of papers in the "Proceedings of tho New Zealand Institute" should be expedited, or, at least, that there should be an earlier distribution of authors' proofs. Mr R. Speight considered that the best way of publishing papers, and of ensuring their being more widely read than at present, would be the publication of a quarterly scientific review in New Zealand.

Motions recommending the incoming council to take into consideration the matters referred to by Mr Wild were passed. The meeting congratulated Dr W. Irving and Dr J. P. Whetter on their safe return from activo service.

Officers for the coming year were elected as follow: —President, Mr L. Birks; vice-presidents, Dr F. J. Borrie and Mr P. H. Powell; hon. secretary, Mr L. P. Symes; lion, treasurer, Dr C. Chilton; hon. librarian, Mr E. G. Hogg; council, Dr F. W. Hilgendorf, Dr S. C. Farr, Messrs W. G. Aldridge, H. T. Ferrar, S. Page, A. D. Dobson; hon. auditor, Mr G. E. Way. Mr Way was accorded a hearty vote of thanks for his services.

A vote of thanks was passed to the Board of Governors of Canterbury College for accommodation for the society 's meetings. Mr E. Speight read a paper on "An ancient buried forest near Riccarton—its bearing on the mode of formation of tho Canterbury Plains." He stated that in a large shingle pit near the Paparua County Council's office there had been found, lying in position, and, until their discovery, covered by lift of shingle, a large number of logs. They were of totara and other lines. Two logs he had measured were sft thick—one was 40ft long. The presence of these logs in position showed that the Canterbury Plains had been built upon a land surface. The timber was in remarkably fine condition, showing its great durability. Reference was made to buried trees which had been discovered elsewhere in the plains. Mr Speight also presented papers on "An Unrecorded Tertiary Outlier in the Basin of the Rakaia," and "The Stratigraphical Relationship of the Tertiary Beds of the Trelissk-h or Castle Hill Basin."

Papers on "The Blepharoceridao (Dipteral of New Zealand," by Air David Miller, and "Notes on the Occurrence and Habits of the Fresh-water Crustacean, 'Lepirurus Viridis,' " by Miss E. M. Tlerriott, M.A., were communicated by Dr C. Chilton. A paper by Mr J. G. Anderson, "A Study of the Electrical Deposition of Nickel, in the Presence of Nitrate," was communicated by Mr L. J. Wild. Mr Wild presentej

two papers by himself, "On the Proposed soil Survey of New Zealand," and "Contributions to the Soil Survey of New Zealand, No. 2, Southland," and one, "On the Lime Requirements of Soils," by Mr J. G. Anderson and himself. Other papers, taken as read, included one by the Rev. A. Purchas, "Some Structural Features of NorthEast Canterbury, together with List of Fossils from the Greta Beds."