NELSON INSTITUTE

Colonist, Volume LVI, Issue 13455, 29 April 1914, Page 3

NELSON INSTITUTE

ANNUAL MEETING OF SCIEN-

TIFIC BRANCH

The annual meeting of the Scientific branch of the Nelson Institute was held on Monday evening. The president, Mr T. A. H. Field, occupied the chair, ..and there was a fair attendanceof members. The president, in referring to the work of the branch during the year, said that renewed interest had been aroused in scientific matters through the generosity of Mr Thomas Ca\ythron in offering an observatory. Several meetings had been held and papers read, and the- branch was' greatly indebted to those who' had gi\en the papei'S. The president riad the annual report as follows :-— "In response to an advertisement /i large number of persons interested in the revival of the scientific branch -.or the Nelson Institute met on May. 19th last year. . "Mr F. G. Gibbs, the president of the Institute, was voted to the chair, and iri referring to they object of the meeting, he said that it was nearly 30 years since the branch was inaugurated under the able presidency of the Bishop Suter. He went on to trace the history of the- mr.voniont up to the time vh'ui'the Institute was destroyed by firo. While the library occupied temiM)>'ary quarters it v.t.s not found prae-(i.-:I)le to hold nicotines, but now with i conveniences of a fine new building ". ■■/as considered an opportune time to : -Kt-ablish the soientiiic branch. . _ •'lt was decided to form a committee or -yix members, together with a chair-. non and a secretary, to .carry en ■the work of- the*, branch. Mr T, A. H. Field v/as elected president for the easuing year, 'and the. following committee we're a])pointed : -Messrs C. 11.' Fell, F"G Gibbs, G.J. Lancaster H. P. ■■■Waslibourn, H. Wise, and W.F.Wor-

' ley. Mr F. V. Knapp was elected secretary. During tho session a series of successful meetings were hold, at which interesting papers wer o read. At the June meeting the president, Mr T. A. H. Field, gavo a lecture on 'The Early History of Nelson. 1 The month following■ '1 he Geology of the Colling wood Goldfields' formed the subject of a paper by Mr H. P. Washbou'rn. ' "At the next meeting in September Mr Henry Travers, F.L.S., lectured ontho 'Natural History of New Zealand,' and in November Mr L. G. Carmine dealt with the subject of 'Wireless Telography.' Tho attendance at the meetings was very satisfactory, and it was evident that the lectures were thoroughly appreciated. - . "In January Mr John Evorshed, Didector of the Kokaikanal Observatory, India, gave a lecture to members dealing with 'The Observation of Solar Phenomena,' illustrated by fin© lantern views. In concluding his address, the lecturer said that the .scientific world owed a debt of gratitude to Mr Thomas Cawthron for his munificent offer .of a solar observatory. Here, in Nelson, it would be admirably placed, and the results obtained would be most useful.

"In August the 45th volume of the 'Transactions of the New Zealand Institute' was distributed to members. It is the privilege of members to receive this annual publication, which contains original papers, dealng with a number of subjects of. scientific and of general interest."' ;. ;.".;. ' ' .

■ In conclusion, the president congratulated the members on the v'er.y successful year they had had. The balance-sheet, presented by Mr F. V. Knapp, showed a credit -balance. , Tlio report and balance-sheet wore adopted. Officers were elected as follow©: — President, Mr T. A. H;. Field (reelected) ; committee, Messrs Richmond Fell, F. G. Gibbs, G. Lancaster, Washbourn, 'Wise, Worley (re-elected); secretary and treasurer, Mr.F.V. Knapp (re-elected). • - ; A discussion ensued on the comingsession's work. Several suggestions were 7nade, and a number of papers or "talks" were offered. Mr Worloy submitted specimens of telluride ore,' and a piece of rock, which are to go into the museum. The-ore was presented by Mr Turn butt, and came from Ohineiutiri. It contains gold and silver of the assay value of £240 a ton. The piece of sedimentary rock was picked up by Mr Worley at Cable Bay, and is of interest by reason of its being intruded by a gnaite vein Another, addition to the museum will be a book containing twenty sketches connected with the Maungatapu murders These were done on the spot by Mr Theophilus Mabille, who was a .member of the .first 'search party, and who presented the book to the Institute. Though this was many years ago, the book, is only now about to' be placed in the museum.