H.—23.

1892. NEW ZEALAND.

NEW ZEALAND INSTITUTE, 1891-92. (TWENTY-FOURTH ANNUAL REPORT.)

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command, of His Excellency. During the past year meetings of the Board took place on the following dates: 21st August and 16th December, 1891; and 28th June, 1892. The following gentlemen were elected to represent the incorporated societies in comformity with the Act: Messrs. J. McKerrow. F.E.A.8., S. Percy Smith, F.E.G.S., and E Tregear F.B.G.S. The members who retired from the Board in conformity with clause 6 of the Act are Messrs. W. T. L. Travers, F.L.S., Thomas Mason, and W. M. Maskell, F.8.M.5. ; and all these gentlemen were reappointed by His Excellency the Governor. During the year the following gentlemen were elected honorary members of the Institute : Professor George Lincoln Goodale, M.D., LL.D., of Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.,. and James W. Davis, F.G.S., F.L.8., Eoyal Society, Dublin. The members now on the roll of the Institute are—Honorary members, 30 ; ordinary members —Auckland Institute, 196; Wellington Philosophical Society, 150; Philosophical Institute of Canterbury, 65; Otago Institute, 113; Westland Institute, 70 ; Hawke's Bay Philosophical Society, 108 ; and Nelson Philosophical Society, 35 : making a total of 767. The volumes of Transactions now in stock are —Vol. I. (second edition), 260 ; Vol. V 25 ; Vol. VI., 25; Vol. VII., 118; Vol. IX., 117; Vol. X., 150; Vol. XL, 40; Vol. XII 43- Vol' XIII.. 45; Vol. XIV., 65; Vol. XV., 180; Vol. XVI., 178; Vol. XVIL, 180; Vol. XVIIL, 160; Vol. XIX., 170; Vol. XX., 170; Vol. XXL, 100; Vol. XXII., 100; Vol. XXIII., 180; Vol. XXIV., not yet fully distributed. The volume of the Transactions just published (XXIV.) was issued in June, and contains sixty-six articles, together with addresses and abstracts of papers which appear in the Proceedings. The volume contains 769 pages of letterpress and 51 plates. The following is a comparison of the contents of the present with that of last year's volume :— 1892. 1891. Pages. Pages. Miscellaneous ... ... ... ... ... 246 136 Zoology ... ... ... ...■ ... 358 236 Botany ... ... ... ... ... ... 44 72 Geology ... ... ... ... ... 28 144 Proceedings .... ... ... ... ... 48 48 Appendix ... ... ... ... ... 45 44 769 680 The cost of printing Vol. XXIII. was £296 12s. 6d. for 680 pages, and that for Vol. XXIV. £385 13s. 9d. for 769 pages. The Honorary Treasurer's statement of accounts shows a balance in hand in current account of £86 10s. Id. The amount devoted to the printing of memoirs and postponed papers (in accordance with resolution of May, 1885) is now £700. Approved by Board, Jambs Hector, Eobert Pharazyn, Manager. Chairman. 30th August, 1892.