Presidential Address. The following is the presidential address delivered before the New Zealand Institute on the 17th January, 1925, by Dr. P. Marshall:— It is generally recognized that the address of the President at our annual meeting is most fittingly devoted to considerations concerning the status of the Institute in the world of science, and to those conditions that most particularly affect its work and welfare. At each annual meeting for the last few years we have had to lament the death during the preceding twelve months of men who have been prominent in the work of the Institute itself or of its affiliated societies. The past year has been no exception; and the names of Captain G. Mair, Dr. A. K. Newman, L. Birks, and C. M. Louisson will in future not be found in our lists of members. In 1871 Captain G. Mair's name makes its first appearance, and from time to time thereafter he contributed papers to our annual volume of Transactions. A careful student of Maori life, and an ardent collector, he made thorough use of his opportunities, to the great benefit of the Auckland Museum. Dr. A. K. Newman also became a member of the Institute in the “seventies,” and has contributed articles to our Transactions on several occasions. Though in later years his main study dealt with Maori life, he took a great interest in astronomy, and at the last meeting of the Governors of the New Zealand Institute he was a member of a deputation which approached the Institute on the subject of the Carter bequest. The untimely death of Mr. L. Birks is deplored by all. Though not long resident in the Dominion, he had taken an active part in the doings of the Wellington Philosophical Institute. Dr. Fulton was a keen naturalist who was particularly interested in our native birds. He was a strong supporter of the Otago Institute, of which he was President in 1918. The most notable scientific work of the year in New Zealand has undoubtedly been the expedition to the Chatham Islands organized by the Otago Institute. We eagerly await the publication of the observations made and of descriptions of the collections that were obtained. All members of the Board of Governors are, of course, aware that the Institute, so far at least as its present constitution is concerned, was founded in November, 1867. In May, 1869, the first volume of the Transactions appeared, and from that date until some interruption during the upheaval due to the great war an annual volume has regularly been issued. The series of fifty-five volumes constitutes a record of scientific and intellectual activity of which we may well feel proud. During the Great War enrolment of soldiers reduced the personnel of the Government Printing Office, and the occurrence of extra parliamentary sessions prevented the Printing Office from performing much work that was not connected with purely official publications. In addition, the issue of volume 16 of the Transactions of the Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science rightly had priority before our Transactions in