Philosophical Institute Of Canterbury.

Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand, Volume 39, 1906, Unnumbered Page

Philosophical Institute Of Canterbury. First Meeting: 2nd May, 1906. Mr. R. Speight, President, in the chair. Dr. Farr prefaced his ex-presidential address by expressing his regret that the committee of the New Zealand Institute appointed to organize the Hutton Memorial Fund had been confined to members of the Canterbury Institute. He also announced that the magnetic survey of New Zealand was almost completed. Dr. Farr then delivered an address on “Electric Waves,” which was illustrated by numerous experiments. Second Meeting: 6th June, 1906. Mr. R. Speight, President, in the chair. New Members.—Mrs. Hutton, Miss F. Sheard, Professor Macmillan Brown, Mr. Charles Lewis, M.H.R., the Rev. A. B. Chappell, Messrs. Coles, J. C. N. Grigg, J. Hartley Smith, Shrimpton, Chevassus, Waite, McCullough, Foster, Mulgan, Howell, Spiller, Newell, R. Herdman Smith, and C. H. A. T. Opie. Address.—Mr. E. K. Mulgan, M.A., delivered an address on “The Home of the Kauri.” Paper.—“On the Occurrence of Fredericella sultana in New Zealand,” by Professor Dendy; communicated by Dr. Chilton. Third Meeting: 11th July, 1906. Mr. R. Speight, President, in the chair. The President welcomed Mr. Heimbrod, of the Pacific Magnetic Survey, to the meeting. New Members.—Miss Grant, Messrs. H. Allison and W. S. Wright. Address.—Mr. P. H. Powell, M.Sc., gave an address entitled “The Experimental Study of Certain Magnetic Problems by the Aid of the Stream Lines in the Flow of a Perfect Fluid.” Paper.—“On the Occurrence in New Zealand of Platalea regia, Gould,” by Mr. T. Iredale.

Fourth Meeting: 8th August, 1906. Mr. R. Speight, President, in the chair. Papers.—1. “Notes on the Natural History of the Kea, with Special Reference to its Reputed Sheep -killing Propensities,” by Mr. G. R. Marriner. 2. “On the Occurrence of Phyllitis fascia in New Zealand,” by Mr. R. M. Laing, M.A., B.Sc. 3. “Observations on the Coastal Vegetation of the South Island of New Zealand,” by L. Cockayne, Ph.D. The following resolution, moved by Sir John Hall and seconded by Dr. Chilton, was carried: “That this Institute desires to place on record its sense of the value of the work done by Sir Walter Buller in the interests of ornithology in New Zealand, and of the loss to science caused by his death.” Fifth Meeting: 5th September, 1906. Mr. R. Speight, President, in the chair. New Member.—Mr. T. W. Rowe. Address.—Dr. L. Cockayne gave an address on “Modern Plant Geography.” Sixth Meeting: 3rd October, 1906. Mr. R. Speight, President, in the chair. New Member.—Mr. T. Keir. Papers.—1. “On the Radio-activity of certain Soils,” by Mr. J. H. Howell, B.Sc. 2. “A Diagram of the Periodic System of Elements, specially arranged for Teaching Purposes,” by Dr. Evans. 3. “Notes on a Coal from Boby's Creek,” by Mr. L. H. Harrison; communicated by Dr. Evans. Seventh Meeting: 13th November, 1906. Mr. R. Speight, President, in the chair. The President welcomed Mr. T. W. Kirk, Government Biologist, to the meeting. New Member.—Mr. C. Godfray Whitaker. Papers.—1. “The Increase of Nitrogen in certain Soils due to Nitro-culture,” by Mr. A. M. Wright, F.C.S.

2. “On the Presence of another Australian Frog in New Zealand,” by Mr. G. R. Marriner. 3. “Further Notes on the Defoliation of Gaya lyallii,” by Dr. L. Cockayne. 4. “New Plant Habitats: Part II,” by Dr. L. Cockayne. 5. “On the Effect of Change of Environment on a Chatham Island Form of Coprosma propinqua,” by Dr. L. Cockayne. 6. “Note on the Cook Strait Habitat of Veronica macroura,” by Dr. L. Cockayne. 7. “On the Harmonic Conic of Two Given Conics,” by Mr. E. G. Hogg, M.A. Eighth Meeting: 29th November, 1906. Mr. R. Speight, President, in the chair. Address.—Mr. C. O. G. Larcombe delivered an address on “The Mineral Resources of New South Wales.” Annual Meeting: 5th December, 1906. Mr. R. Speight, President, in the chair. New Members.—Mr. H. F. Skey and Mr. P. Revell. Annual Report. The Council has met eleven times since the last annual meeting of the Institute, and the average attendance of the members of the Council at such meetings has been seven. During the year Mr. H. G. Denham resigned his seat on the Council; the vacancy was filled by the appointment of Mr. Edgar R. Waite. During the year the management of the Hutton Memorial Fund has been handed over to the New Zealand Institute. The sum of £330 has been raised by private subscription, and it is to be hoped that this will be materially increased. The sub - committee appointed by the New Zealand Institute to continue the work of raising subscriptions interviewed the Hon. the Premier, and he expressed himself in thorough sympathy with the objects of the fund. A sum of £300 has been placed on the supplementary estimates as a subsidy, and if this is available the fund will not only form a fitting memorial of our late distinguished member but also be a valuable means of aiding scientific research in the colony. The Council has been in communication during the past year with the Government and with the other branches of the New Zealand Institute with regard to the pressing need of a complete botanical survey of New Zealand at an early date on the modern ecological lines adopted in similar surveys now being conducted in Europe and North America; the Council strongly urged the appointment of a Government Botanist to carry on this important work. The Council regrets to report that the Government does not propose to take any steps in the matter at present.

The Council has also had under consideration the question of a general scientific survey of the outlying islands of New Zealand, for the purpose of increasing our knowledge of the magnetic distribution and of the botany, geology, and zoology of the islands. The Council is assured of the hearty support of the Otago, Wellington, and Auckland Institutes. The Council is of the opinion that it is not feasible to carry out the surrey this year with the fullness demanded by a work so important, but strongly hopes that the survey may be undertaken at the close of next year. A deputation from the Council, which recently waited on the Hon. the Minister of Lands to confer with him on the matter, received a sympathetic hearing and a promise to bring the matter before the Cabinet in due course. Much attention has been paid by the Council to the library during the year. Mr. Edgar R. Waite has been appointed Honorary Librarian. A considerable number of books and periodicals have been added and some new shelves have been erected in the library. Steps have also been taken to procure certain parts of journals and periodicals which are missing from the library. A new system of checking the books and periodicals borrowed by members has been introduced, and the Council trusts that it may receive the hearty co-operation of the members of the Institute in preserving the library and adding to its usefulness. During the year twenty-seven new members have been elected, and the total membership of the Institute is now 146, including four life members. The average attendance at the meetings has been forty-five. Five addresses have been given, and nineteen papers have been read. The latter may be classified as follows: Botany, 7; chemistry, 3; mathematics, 2: physics, 1; zoology, 6. The balance-sheet shows that after contributing £50 to the Hutton Memorial fund, expending £47 13s. 1d. on the library, and renewing the sum of £50 on fixed deposit, there remains a credit balance of £36 8s. 11d. The thanks of the Council are due to the Board of Governors of Canterbury College for the use of rooms, and to Mr. G. E. Way for his continued services as Honorary Auditor. Papers.—1. “On the Musci of New Zealand: Genus Tremotodon,” by Mr. R. Brown. 2. “Notes on the Callianassidœ of Now Zealand,” by Dr. Chilton. 3. “Dates on which Introduced Birds have been liberated, or have appeared, in Different Districts of New Zealand,” by Mr. J. Drummond. 4. “On Isogonal Transformations: Part I,” by Mr. E. G. Hogg, M.A. 5. “On the Sudden Appearance of a New Character in an Individual of Leptospermum scoparium,” by Dr. L. Cockayne. Election of Officers for 1907.—President—Dr. F. W. Hilgendorf; Vice-Presidents—Dr. L. Cockayne, Mr. R. Speight; Honorary Secretary—Mr. E. G. Hogg; Honorary Treasurer—Dr. Chilton; Council—Dr. Evans, Dr. Farr, Mr. J. H. Howell, Mr. R. M. Laing, Mr. J. B. Mayne, Mr. Edgar R. Waite; Honorary Auditor—Mr. G. E. Way.