NEW ZEALAND INSTITUTE, 1889-90. (TWENTY-SECOND ANNUAL REPORT.)

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1890 Session I, H-35

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1890. NEW ZEALAND.

NEW ZEALAND INSTITUTE, 1889-90. (TWENTY-SECOND ANNUAL REPORT.)

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of fli.\ Excellency,

Meetings have been held during the past year on the following dates : f)th August. 4th October, 1889 ; and 7th February, 17th July, 1890. The following are the governors elected by the incorporated societies for the year : Mr, J. McKerrow, Mr. S. Percy Smith, and Mr. A. de 13. Brandon. The retiring members from the Board, in conformity with section G of the Act, were: Mr. W. T. L. Travers, Hon. Mr. Waterhouse, and the Yen. Archdeacon Stock ; and the following gentlemen have been appointed by His Excellency the Governor to lill the vacancies: Mr. W. T. L. Travers, Hon. R. Pharazyn, and Mr. W. M. Maskell. The members now on the roll of the Institute are : Honorary members, 29 ; ordinary members —Auckland Institute, 216; Hawke's Bay Philosophical Institute, 101; Wellington Philosophical Society, 185; Philosophical Institute of Canterbury, 86; Nelson Philosophical Society, 42; Westland Institute, 71; Otago Institute, 142 ; Southland Institute, 72 : making a total of 944. There is a vacancy in the list of honorary members caused by the death of the Marquis of Normanby, The volumes of Transactions now in stock are—Vol. I. (second edition), 270; Vol. V., 30; Vol. VI., 28; Vol. VII., 123; Vol. IX., 123; Vol. X., 156; Vol. XL, 45; Vol. XII., 50 ; Vol. XIII., 50; Vol. XIV.. 73; Vol: XV.. LB5; Vol. XVI.. 185: Vol. XVII., 220; Vol. XVIII., 167; Vol. XIX., 190; Vol. XX., 190; Vol. XXI.. 200; Vol. XXIL, not yet fully distributed. The last volume of the Transactions (XXII.) was issued early in June, and contains sixty-two articles; also addresses and abstracts of articles which appear in the Proceedings. The volume contains 607 pages of letterpress and 32 plates. The following is a comparison of the contents with that of the previous year's volume : —• 1800. 1889. Pages. Pages. Miscellaneous ... ... ... ... ... 142 114 Zoology ... ... ... ... ... 244 148 Botany ... ... ... ... ... 56 120 Chemistry ... ... ... ... ... 4 15 Geology ... ... ... ... ... 62 84 Proceedings ... ... ... ... ... 52 48 Appendix ... ... ... ... ... 47 54 607 583 The expense of printing Vol. XXI. of the Transactions amounted to £248 lis. 4d. for 583 pages, and that for Vol. XXII. £284 6s. 9d. for 607 pages, the increase in cost being owing to extra expense on the plates. The Honorary Treasurer's statement of accounts for the year is appended, and shows a balance in hand of £90 3s. Id. Appended is the correspondence regarding the handsome donation of books made by Mr. C. B. Carter. Approved by the Board. James Hector, Manager. Bobf.kt Pharazyn. Chairman, 17th July, 1890.

New Zealand Institute Accounts fob 1889-90. Receipts. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ s. d. Balanco in hand, sth August, 1880.. .. 95 11 11 For printing Vol. XXII. .. .. .. 284 G 9 Vote for 1880-00 .. .. .. .. 000 0 0 j Miscellaneous items .. .. .. 4ti 15 1 Contribution from Wellington Philosophical I Carried to Memoir Account .. .. 200 0 0 Society .. .. .. 18 11 o Balance.. .. .. .. 00 3 1 Sale of Transactions .. .. .. (i 10 (J £021 4 11 £621 4 11 23rd July, 1390. W. T. L. Tbavebs, Honorary Treasurer.

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2

I OBRESPONDENCE RESPECTING DONATION OF BOOKS.

No. 1. —Mr. Cabteb's Letter to the Board. Dear Sir, — Wellington, 22nd January, 1890. I am desirous of presenting to the New Zealand Institute and Colonial Museum my library of books on or relating to New Zealand, of the value of £300. One folio volume alone cost me £20. It is, I believe, the largest collection of books of its kind in any library in the colony, and contains over 100 works more than are in the collection of similar books in the Melbourne Free Library. The collection consists of 395 works on New Zealand, of which 64 are pamphlets,forming (with the 62 duplicate copies) a selection of 557 volumes, to which I have added 60 printed catalogues of the same. I respectfully offer the collection to the New Zealand Institute and Colonial Museum on the following conditions: — . 1. It i-. to he placed in a suitable position in the library of the Institute. 2. A properly constructed book-case, with glass doors, is, without delay, to be provided for its reception 3. The.books are to be used as works of reference only, and not to pass outside the Museum. I should part with the collection with some regrel did I not think it would be more useful to the public than by remaining in my possession. I do not anticipate that the present generation will appreciate its value, but I venture to hope that a succeeding one will. To collect and collate this small library of books on New Zealand has been to me, I may say, a labour of love, the fruits of which I now wish to entrust to your safe keeping. I have also to present to the Museum a collection of arms gathered on the battle fields of the 'Franco-German war of IS7O 71. and a French chassepot rifle used during the siege of Paris in 1871. I have, &c, Sir-lames Elector, K.C.M.G., Colonial Museum. C. E. Carter.

No. ± Reply to Mr. Carter, and Resolution of Board. Sir. — Colonial Museum of New Zealand, Wellington, 18th February, 1890. By direction of the Board of Governors of the Mew Zealand Institute, 1 have the honour to forward, for your information, an extract from the minutes of a meeting of the Board held on the 7th instant, the Hon. W. !!. I). Mantell. M.L.C., in the chair. "The Manager I.tin before the Board a letter from Mr. C. R. Carter, dated the 22nd January, 1890, in which he proposes to mala' a. donation to the Xew Zealand Institute and Colonial Museum of a collection of published worl relating'to New Zealand. " Resolv* Mr. Carter's letter be entered in the minutes for permanent record. That the offer of Mr. Cat cepted on the conditions imposed, and that the Hoard, on behalf of the New Zealand Institute, desires to record its thanks and its high appreciation of the value of the gift which he thus makes, and of the great ability and industry which the acquisition and collation of such a. complete collection of special literature musl have entailed. "The Board thoroughly recognises that the liberal action of the donor, and the nature of the •conditions he has imposed with the gift, prove that the motive which led Mr. Carter to accumulate this unique collection of rare works was purely the desire to secure a sound basis for the future study of the earl\ history of this colony, a, motive which is alike worthy of the donor's intelligence aial generosity. " That a copy of this resolution he transmitted to Mr. Carter." I have, etc., J. Hector, C. R. Carter, Esq., Wellington. Manager. Ipproximate Cost o/ Paper.—Preparation, nil; printing (1,800 copies), £1 2s. Bd.]

Uiority: Geoiiqe Didsbury, Government Printer, Wellington. —1890.