Auckland Institute.

Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand, Volume 36, 1903, Unnumbered Page

Auckland Institute. First Meeting: 8th June, 1903. Professor A. P. Thomas, President, in the chair. New Members.—G. George, H. A. Gordon, and H. T. Pycroft. The President delivered the anniversary address. Second Meeting: 22nd June, 1903. Professor A. P. Thomas, President, in the chair. Mr. J. H. Howell, B.Sc., delivered a popular lecture, illustrated by numerous experiments, on “The Spectroscope, and its Use in Scientific Research.” Third Meeting: 6th July, 1903. Professor A. P. Thomas, President, in the chair. New Members.—H. Cummings and H. Kronfeld. Papers.—1. “Note on a Branched Cocoanut Palm,” by R. B. Walrond. The author stated that during the recent parliamentary excursion to the Cook Islands, which he accompanied, he was informed of a branched cocoanut-tree growing on the Island of Mangaia. Knowing the interest which is attached to branched palms, he visited the locality and secured some photographs of the tree, which he exhibited to the meeting. 2. “On an Abnormal Growth of Phormium colensoi,” by the Right Rev. W. L. Williams. 3. “A Note on Drawing for Competitions,” by Professor H. W. Segar. 4. “Note on the Veracity of the Age-returns in the Census of 1901,” by Professor H. W. Segar. 5. “A Comparison of the Age-distribution of the Population of the Four Chief Provincial Districts,” by Professor H. W. Segar. 6. “On certain Statistics respecting the Trend of English Trade,” by Professor H. W. Segar.

Fourth Meeting: 30th July, 1903. Professor A. P. Thomas, President, in the chair. New Members.—H. C. Clark, W. H. Hamer, W. Henry, V. J. Larner, J. R. Lundon, and R. Stopford, M.D. Professor F. D. Brown delivered a popular lecture, illustrated by numerous experiments, on “Radiation.” Fifth Meeting: 3rd August, 1903. Professor A. P. Thomas, President, in the chair. Papers.—1. “On the Maori Method of preparing and using Kokowai,” by Archdeacon P. Walsh. Specimens of the stone slabs and rubbers using in preparing kokowai were exhibited in illustration of the paper, and presented to the Museum by the author. 2. “On the Interferometer,” by E. V. Miller. Sixth Meeting: 17th August, 1903. Professor A. P. Thomas, President, in the chair. The Rev. H. Anson delivered a popular lecture entitled “Mr. Gladstone.” Seventh Meeting: 7th September, 1903. Professor A. P. Thomas, President, in the chair. New Members.—W. S. Lyell, E. P. Turner, and N. A. Winter. Papers.—1. “Maori Medical Lore,” by Dr. W. H. Goldie. 2. “Maori Marriage Customs,” by Elsdon Best. Eighth Meeting: 21st September, 1903. Professor A. P. Thomas, President, in the chair. New Member.—Dr. Neill. Mr. E. K. Mulgan delivered a popular lecture, illustrated with numerous limelight views, on “The Northern Wairoa.” Ninth Meeting: 29th February, 1904. Dr. Roberton, Vice-President, in the chair. New Member.—J. L. Young. Paper.—“On the Fossils of the Waitemata and Papakura Series,” by E. Clarke.

Abstract of Annual Report. In accordance with the rules of the society, the Council have now to present to their members their thirty-sixth annual report on the financial and general condition of the Institute, and its progress daring the past year. Members.—Sixteen new members hare been elected during the year. On the other hand, fourteen names have been withdrawn from the roll, six from death, four from resignation, and four from non-payment of subscription for more than two consecutive years. There is thus a net gain of two, the number on the roll at the present time being 165. The members removed by death are Messrs A D. Austin, W. Berry, A. Buckland, J. Chambers, L Cussen, and J. Hume, nearly all of whom have been associated with the Institute for many years. Finance.—For full information respecting the financial position of the Institute reference should be made to the balance-sheets appended to this report, but the following abstract may be useful: The total income of the Working Account, omitting the balance of £59 18s 6d. on hand at the commencement of the year, has been £872 18s. 7d. This shows a slight increase on the amount realised last year, which was £851 14s. 8d. Examining the separate items, it will be seen that the Museum Endowment, which now constitutes one of the chief sources of the revenue of the society, has yielded £344 13s. 4d., the amount for the previous year being £375 15s. 7d. The invested funds of the Costley bequest have contributed £357 10s., the sum for 1902–3 being £325 13s. 9d. From the members' subscriptions £131 5s. has been received, showing a reduction of £10 10s. on the amount for last year. The total expenditure has been £809 7s. 10d., leaving a balance of £123 9s. 3d. in the Bank of New Zealand. The Council are glad to report that the invested funds of the society are in a satisfactory state. The total amount at the present time is £16,226 12s. 5d., showing an increase of £2,230 6s. 3d. during the year. The addition consists of the Mackechnie bequest of £2,000 for the endowment of the library, presently to be alluded to, and a sum of £230 derived from the sale of certain portions of the landed endowment of the Museum. Meetings.—Nine meetings have been held during the year. Museum.—With the exception of a short period devoted to cleaning and rearrangement, the Museum has been open daily to the public throughout the year during the usual hours—from 10 a.m to 5 p.m. on week-days, and from 2 to 5 p.m. on Sundays. The attendance of visitors has been satisfactory. The register kept by the janitor shows that on Sunday afternoons 13,377 people entered the building, being an average of 257 for each Sunday. The greatest attendance was 378 on the 23rd August; the smallest 80 on 5th July. On the five chief holidays of the year—New Year's Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, King's Birthday, and Boxing Day—the total attendance was 1,181, or an average of 236 for each day. On ordinary week-days the visitors can only be occasionally counted; but the average attendance is certainly not leas than 100 per day. With the number previously given, a calculation on this basis would make the total attendance to be 45,360. Last year the number was estimated at 43,956. It is worthy of remark that the average attendance on Sunday afternoon, when the Museum is only open for three hours, is in excess of the average for the chief holidays, when the Museum is open for the whole day. In the report for the previous year the Council stated that an application had been made to the Government for a pound-for-pound subsidy equivalent to the amout (£1,000) subscribed by the citizens of Auckland for the purchase of the Mair Collection of Maori Antiquities. During the

recent session of Parliament the matter was again revived, and warmly advocated by the members for the City of Auckland and the Suburbs, with the result that the Government consented to place a vote of £1,000 on the supplementary estimates. This was agreed to by Parliament, and the Premier, in a recent interview with the Council, engaged that the money would be at once made available for defraying the cost of an annexe to the Maori Hall. Under these circumstances, the Council have arranged for the erection of a hall 50 ft. square, to occupy the vacant space between the Statue Hall and the Main Hall. One portion of the building will contain the Maori carved house, Rangitihi, which has been in the possession of the Museum for some time, but which for want of funds has not yet been erected; the remainder will form an exhibition gallery for ethnological specimens. In structural details the new building will agree with the Maori Hall, the walls and floor being of brick or concrete, and the roof of iron and glass. The cost of erection will absorb the whole of the grant, so that after its completion other arrangements will be required for putting up the Maori house, and for the show-cases and other fittings required for the exhibition gallery. But the acquisition of the building alone will be a distinct advantage, and one upon which the Museum may be safely congratulated. The chief additions made to the Museum during the year have been in the ethnographical department. Special mention may be made of an interesting series of Moriori stone weapons, purchased from Mr. R. Shand, late of the Chatham Islands; of some Maori kites, kindly obtained for the Museum by Mr. Elsdon Best, of Ruatahuna; of a collection of Australian stone weapons, forwarded in exchange by Mr. J. Williamson, of Victoria; and of a set of prehistoric flint implements from Central Africa, presented by Colonel Seton-Karr. The Council have frequently mentioned the slow progress made by the zoological side of the Museum, so that they have some little satisfaction in stating that there is every prospect of an important addition being made to this department at no distant date. It will be in the recollection of members that the late Mrs. Mackechnie bequeathed a sum of £500 to be expended, at the discretion of her executor, in suitable additions to the Museum. This gentleman has intimated his desire that the bequest should be expended in the purchase of stuffed groups of the larger animals, set up in the best style of taxidermy, and protected by suitable plate-glass cases. Preliminary inquiries are now being made, and it is hoped that an order for the first of the groups will soon be taken in hand. Library.—The Council have but little to report under this head. Few purchases of books have been made, but a considerable expenditure has been incurred in binding the arrears of scientific journals, publications of societies, &c. The usual exchanges and presentations from foreign societies have been received, together with the magazines and periodicals subscribed to by the Institute, a list of which will be found on another page. The most important donation of books received consists of forty-eight volumes of books dealing with the history of India, formerly the property of the late Bishop Cowie, and presented to the library in remembrance of him by his family. The Mackechnie bequest of £2,000, the annual interest on which must be applied solely to the purchase of books, has been duly paid over and invested. In the future it will provide a regular fund for the augmentation of the library, and will enable the Council to extend its usefulness in a manner which could not be attempted with the slender funds to be spared from the ordinary revenue of the society. Little Barrier Island.—The management of the Little Barrier Island as a reserve for the preservation of the avifauna of New Zealand still remains in the hands of the Institute, the Government contributing

an annual grant of £200 to cover the necessary expenses. The Curator, Mr. Shakespear, reports that no attempt has been made to molest the birds, and that no unauthorised persons have landed on the island. The Council entertain no doubt that if a resident guardian is maintained on the island it will long remain a secure home foe a considerable portion of the avifauna of New Zealand. Election of Officers for 1904.—President—Professor A P. Thomas, F.L.S.; Vice-Presidents—E. Roberton, Esq., M.D., and J. Stewart, Esq., M.I.C.E.; Council—Professor F. D. Brown, C. Cooper, Esq., H. Haines, Esq., F.R.C.S., J H. Howell, B.Sc., J. Kirker, Esq., E. V. Miller, Esq., T. Peacock, Esq., D. Petrie, Esq., J. Reid, Esq., Professor H. W. Segar, J. H. Upton, Esq.; Trustees—Professor F. D. Brown, T. Peacock, Esq., J. H. Upton, Esq.; Secretary and Curator—T. F. Cheeseman, F.L.S., F.Z.S.; Auditor—W. Gorrie, Esq.