NEW ZEALAND INSTITUTE (TWENTY-NINTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE).

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1897 Session II, H-27

H. 27

Sess. 1T.—1897. NEW ZEALAND.

NEW ZEALAND INSTITUTE (TWENTY-NINTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE).

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

Meetings of the Board were held on the 21st July, 1896, and on the 11th January and 12th March, 1897. The incorporated societies, in compliance with clause 7 of the Act, elected for the year Major-General Schaw, C.8., E.E., Mr. S. Percy Smith, F.E.G.S., and Mr. James McKerrow, F.R.A.S., to represent them on the Board. The following gentlemen were elected honorary members of the Institute to fill the vacancies caused by the death of the late Professor Eiley and the late Baron Sir F. yon Mueller, viz.: Professor Richard Lydekker, 8.A., F.R.S., of the British Museum, on account of the eminent service he has rendered to science in New Zealand by the publication of his invaluable descriptive catalogue of fossil reptiles and birds, which deals largely with collections that have been made in this country; also Professor Horatio Hale, M.A., F.R.S., of Clinton, Ontario, Canada, on account of the eminent service he has rendered to science in New Zealand by the publication of his researches in philology, especially embodied in the volumes of Commodore Wilke's United States exploring expedition in the Pacific. Before the certificate of election had reached its destination, unfortunately Professor Hale died, and the vacancy was filled by the election of Professor S. P. Langley, Secretary to the Smithsonian Institution, in recognition of the great assistance scientific workers receive from him in his official capacity as successor to our late honorary member, Professor Spencer Baird, and of the brilliant additions he has made to astronomical science. During the past year the Institute has lost another honorary member by the death of the late Admiral Sir G. H. Richards. The members now on the roll are : Honorary members, 29; Auckland Institute, 173; Hawke's Bay Philosophical Society, 79 ; Wellington Philosophical Society, 137 ; Philosophical Institute of Canterbury, 79; Otago Institute, 122; Nelson Philosophical Society, 21; Westland Institute, 53: making a total of 693. During the year the death of a generous donor to the Institute, Mr. R. C. Carter, has taken place. Mr. Carter, prior to his death, presented about nine hundred separate works, consisting of nearly fifteen hundred volumes. All these works relate more or less to New Zealand affairs, and form one of the most valuable collections of the kind in existence. A full catalogue, including Mr. Carter's collection, of the whole library is now in the printer's hands. Mr. Carter also left a sum of money to assist in preserving the collection, and a further sum for the establishment of an astronomical observatory in Wellington. An important event in the work of the Institute is the publication of the first part of an illustrated work on " Maori Art," by Mr. A. Hamilton. This important descriptive work is the result of much hard labour, and at an expense not wholly borne by the Institute. The author has, with his camera, visited many outlying parts of Maoriland with great enterprise and success. He has also been accorded liberal aid by the custodians of public museums and owners of private collections in making his illustrations thoroughly complete. Part I. describes the canoes of the Maoris, and has an introductory chapter giving a structural and historical account of the Maori canoes and of the wonderful display of art, knowledge, and labour used in their construction. This part contains ten photo-process plates, representing twenty-seven characteristic carvings, and each illustration has its description on the page opposite to the plate. There are also many illustrations distributed in the text of the introductory chapter and letterpress. The whole part contains sixty-eight quarto pages. Five parts will complete the volume, and the succeeding parts will be devoted to the following subjects: Part 11,, Dwellings ; Part 111., Weapons; Part IV., Dress and Decoration; Part V., Social Life. Upwards of five hundred photographs have already been secured for the illustration of this national work, and steps are being taken to secure all that are required to preserve for future reference the intellectual and artistic achievements of the Maori race before they are lost. The printing of this fine work is being done by Messrs. Fergusson and Mitchell, of Dunedin, in an admirable manner.

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The volumes of Transactions now on hand are: Vol. I. (second edition), 235; Vol. V., 10; Vol. VI., 18; Vol. VII., 100; Vol. IX., 100; Vol. X., 130; Vol. XL, 29; Vol. XII., 30; Vol. XIII., 32; Vol. XIV., 55; Vol. XV., 165; Vol. XVI., 165; Vol. XVII., 165; Vol. XVIIL, 140; Vol. XIX., 155; Vol. XX., 158; Vol. XXI., 90; Vol. XXII., 90; Vol. XXIIL, 165; Vol. XXIV., 170; Vol. XXV., 170; Vol. XXVI., 175; Vol. XXVII., 178; Vol. XXVIII., 200; Vol. XXIX., not yet fully distributed. cOA'f:- The volume (XXIX.) just published contains sixty-two articles, together with addresses and abstracts which appear in the Proceedings. The work consists of 680 pages and 48 plates. The following gives a comparison of the contents of the present volume and that for last year : —■ 1897. 1896. Pages. Pages. Miscellaneous ... ... ... ... ... ... 178 204 Zoology ... • ... ... ... ... ... ... 154 286 Botany ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 208 134 Geology ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 32 64 Chemistry... ... ... .... ... ... ... 18 28 Proceedings ... ... ... ... ... .,. 45 47 Appendix ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 45 45 680 808 The cost of printing Vol. XXVIII. was £485 6s. 2d. for 808 pages, and that for the present volume (XXIX.) £433 6s. 9d. for 680 pages. This includes the preparation and printing of the plates. The Honorary Treasurer's statement of accounts shows that there is a balance in hand in the current account of £3 8s. lid. The amount appropriated for the publication of memoirs and postponed papers (according to resolution) is now £744 Is. Id. Approved by the Board. Jambs Hector, Manager. Thomas Mason, Chairman. 3rd September, 1897. New Zealand Institute Accounts fok 1896-97. Receipts. £ s. <3. Expenditure. £ s. d. Balance in hand, 21st July, 1896 .. .. 24 13 2 < Printing Vol. XXIX. .. .. .. 433 6 9 Vote for 1896-97 .. .. .. .. 500 0 0 , Publication of " Maori Art" .. .. 183 9 1 Contribution from Wellington Philosophical Publication of Mangareva vocabulary .. 20 0 0 Society .. .. .. .. 17 10 0 i Expense of library .. .. .. 8 15 0 Sale of volume of Transactions .. .. 0 15 9 i Foreign postage, stationery, and miscellaneous 19 1 6 Eeceived on account of sale of Part I., Balance m hand .. .. .. .. 3 8 11 $ " Maori Art " .. .. .. 25 2 4 Transferred from "Postponed Papers" Account .. .. .. .. .. 100 0 0 £668 1 3 £668 1 3 Wm, Thos. Locke Tkavees, 3rd September, 1897. Honorary Treasurer.

Approximate Cost of Paper.— Preparation, not given; printing (1,;S75 copies), £1 7s.

By Authority : John Mackay, G-overnment Printer, Wellington.—1897.

Price 3d.]