The Timaru Herald MONDAY, JULY 2, 1906. SCIENCE IN NEW ZEALAND.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 13016, 2 July 1906, Page 4

The Timaru Herald MONDAY, JULY 2, 1906. SCIENCE IN NEW ZEALAND.

,At a meeting of the Auckland Philosophical ♦Society' a short time ago, some of th 6 members bewailed tire apathy -of the present generation, of New Zeulandeis regarding the natural history of their country, and contrasted this neglect'of their enViropjnent with the eagernets with,, which jthe pioneer settlers' examined.*, 'investigate* ■aridßecorded what they Haw of the «aimate and inanimate life about 'them. denied th«.Juipea'chment of the native-born, and pointed out that the pioneers inevitably paid a good deal of attention to the flora and fauna of the country, because these were new to them, and excited their curiosity, and challenged comparison and contrast with what they bad known in the Old Country, while tip native born has noSuch stimulus to obNrvwtion. This explanation seems to contradict the formal denial. It does appear that for some years ,past there' had' not been ■ anything like the same proportion of dili'gent and minute observers as there wag among the early arrivals, though it would probably ,be incorrect to say ■ the* the present generation is less sympathetic to> the forms of Nature. Judging from the numerous contribution*, on natural history subjects which one meets with in the daily and weekly journals,' there appear t» be a good many people who use their eyes' as they travel about; but judging by the same papers, the taajority of them* are content with general impression* and large views-; that fa to say, they dot not study details,, the finer features and characters, recognition of which makes claa- , sificat'ion possible, and upon which depends scientific knowledge, at any rate in an important degree. So far as the native flora, and fauna are concerned, the first generation of New Zealanders of cowree had the advantage of living among Ahem,, whereas only a comparatively small proportion of tho present generation doe® so; the majority must seek and travel for opportunities to study the native productions, instead of having to labour to get rid of them, as was so often the lot of the pioneers. The complaint of the Auckland savants is now apparently in the way of being remedied, for some future day if not for the immediate present. The attention.which ha* been directed to Nature Study by the. Educational Department, .the diligence with which the teachers are preparing themselves to instil into their pupils some knowledge of and a love for natural history subjects, augurs well for a revival of interest in such subject*, and it may be confidently expected that the new teaching in the primary schools .will give many a young

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MIXED RACING. The recommendation passed at the annual Meting of the South Canterbury Jockey dub in regard to trotting events wffl »« doubt come up for discussion at the next meeting of the committee. The question is one that should be approached very carefully, for if we remember rightly the dubs which at one time existed in Timaru to foster district racing and trotting respectively, agreed as a condition to their being wound up, that the South Canterbury Jockey Club should see that a place •was kept on their programmes for the .pedal kind of eport the defunct clubs had most favoured. So far as district racing is concerned, there is no dispute. The South Canterbury Jockey Club fcave veil redeemed -their promise under that head. But men who have followed sport «k>«ely here, anticipated long ago that "atrsined relations between -what are two branches of sportsmen—gallopers and trotters—were bound to come sooner or later. Why"this should be so, > very bard to determine. The fact ; however, remains that mixed meetings have never been properly successful. The trotting events, as contests of pace and shall, have been so often so very poor as to be subjects for jnirth rather than, as they should have been, themes for admiration. B is nonse now reviving tales of protest, and enquiries. Such matters having been dealt with by the sporting tribunals are closed. What the South Canterbury Jockey Ch* have to face is the retention <rf trotting: races and the steps to be taken to make them worthy of the name. Supporters of trotting fed the position keenly, and flay that in the event o* the trots being- cut out, they will' form a irottEs dub of their own. Past history i. not in their favour when they talk like that, unless a*body of men arises that vOl be determined to" have pure sport. The trotting men—that is, all those' who tta to see legitimate sport-should rally to tiie support of the Club and devise aome means by which their racing officials vfll receive that active support without which they''might, as well not be on the xteeceorse. f We hope to see the Club go iaio 13m matter «nd seriously. Past criticism; no matter how poignant » -was, should be forgottan; and the good «| the members of the Club as a whole afcoold be the goal to be aimed at. • '.