Second Annual Report by the Governors of the New Zealand Institute.

Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand, Volume 3, 1870, Page 11

Second Annual Report by the Governors of the New Zealand Institute. During the past year meetings of the Board of Governors have been held for the transaction of business on the following dates:–11th August, 28th September, 7th October, 1st November, 9th December, 1869; 28th March, and 20th May, 1870. In accordance with the Act, the following Governors retired from the Board:–Sir David Monro, J. E. FitzGerald, Esq., and Colonel Haultain. The two former were re-nominated, and Dr. Knight was nominated in the room of the latter. On 1st November, 1869, notice was received from the Secretary of the Westland Naturalists' and Acclimatization Society, stating that they would not be able to continue as an affiliated Society owing to the want of local support. On 18th October, 1869, the Otago Institute became incorporated in the terms of the Act.

The Institute now consists of the following Societies:– No. of Mem. Wellington Philosophical Society 82 Auckland Institute 106 Philosophical Institute of Canterbury 76 Otago Institute 80 The election of Governors by these Societies took place in the month of November, and the following gentlemen were returned as members of the Board for the current year, viz. :–His Honor Mr. T. B. Gillies, Dr. Haast, F.R.S., His Honor Mr. Justice Ward. The Manager's Report on the Museum and Laboratory, hereto appended, shows that this branch of the Institute has made considerable progress during the past year; and the Government having undertaken the publication of the catalogue of the Museum, in the course of a few weeks this work will be in the hands of the public, and will form a valuable guide for the formation and proper arrangement of local collections in other parts of the colony. The appended statement of accounts shows the manner in which the funds placed at the disposal of the Board have been applied for the past year. Volume II. of the Transactions and Proceedings was issued in the month of April, and consists of 438 pages of print and 21 lithographed illustrations. The edition consists of 750 copies, 342 of which have been issued to the members of the affiliated Societies; 50 copies have been presented to the public libraries in New Zealand; 50 presentation copies have been distributed in England and other countries. In addition to the above, the Auckland, Canterbury, and Otago Societies have received 115 copies, of the value of £86 5s., which is one-third of the amount of the annual subscriptions of their members, as a contribution in aid of the funds of these Societies. The remainder of the edition is held in reserve for sale at 15s. per volume, being the same price as that fixed for Volume I. issued in the preceding year. At the request of Messrs Trübner and Co., that firm has been appointed publishing agents for London, and copies have been placed in their hands for sale. The volume contains 62 original articles, contributed by 32 members, being a great increase over the number in the former volume, which contained 23 articles.

Nine lectures also appear in the volume, which were delivered by the following gentlemen:–Mr. FitzGerald, Mr. Justice Richmond, Mr. Travers, Mr. Wakefield, and Dr. Hector. The Proceedings of the various Societies are also more fully reported than previously, and contain, in addition to the discussions which took place at the meetings, the addresses delivered by the different Presidents. It has been found necessary to reserve several papers relating to purely medical subjects, as the Board considered it advisable to defer them for publication in a separate form at some future time, for the professional reader. The Board has had under consideration a suggestion from Government, that the functions of the Institute should be extended so as to exercise a direct educational influence, and, in reply, the Board has made the following recommendations:– 1. That a series of lectures should be instituted in connection with the Museum, to be delivered during the winter months of the year. 2. That this course should be of a twofold character—General and Practical. 3. That the subjects should be divided into two courses, the lectures being given on alternate days, or otherwise, as most convenient. 4. The first course should comprise lectures on Natural History, or the principles of classification, as illustrated by the elementary study of Zoology and Botany, and the application of these to Physical Geography and Geology. 5. The second course should be devoted to the elements of experimental science—Physics, Chemistry, and Mineralogy. 6. The practical course should be limited to Mineralogy and Chemistry. For carrying into effect these proposals, it will be necessary — 1st. That additional accommodation should be afforded. 2nd. That the requisite apparatus should be obtained from England. 3rd. That lecturers should be provided. In the meantime, until the scheme is established, the Governors are of opinion that the working of it might be left to the staff of the Geological Survey. Dr. Hector has communicated to the Governors his willingness to lecture on the first branch, and is of opinion that the services of his assistants might be, with great advantage, arranged so that they might work in the field during the summer months, and in winter assist in the course of instruction; but the Governors, in view of the great additional

labour which would be entailed on Dr. Hector by accepting his offer, would urge upon the Government the expediency of making such addition to his staff as will enable him to carry out that offer, without interfering with the various duties more properly devolving upon him. By this means, without materially increasing the present establishment, the scheme might be initiated, and the valuable educational resources of the Museum and Laboratory devoted to supply the diffusing of scientific and technical instruction which is much felt in the colony. The fees would be sufficient to pay the working expenses, and by a judicious system of small endowments for scholarships in the various public schools, other parts of the colony would share in the benefits of the course. G. F. Bowen, President. Colonial Museum, Wellington, 21st July, 1870.