Manawatu Philosophical Society. 853 



Besides the above, three questions of great importance have been before the 

 Council, and been considered in detail by sub-committees and reported on to the 

 different bodies more immediately concerned: — 



(1.) The alteration of the New Zealand mean time from eleven and a half to 



exactly twelve hours in advance of Greenwich, which would result in a 



daily saving of half an hour's sunlight, and bring the Dominion into line 



with the international agreement. This alteration was suggested by the 



Wellington Philosophical Society, and its consideration lias been postponed 



by the Government on account of the war. v 



(2.) A scheme for the better co-ordination of scientific work in the Dominion, 



brought forward by Mr. W. Ferguson, the Chairman of the Efficiency Board, 



and Dr. Thomson ; together with the comments thereon made by the 



different branches of the Institute in Auckland, Wellington, Canterbury, 



and Otago. A lengthy and detailed report on these proposals was made 



by the Council and forwarded to the Secretary of the New Zealand Institute 



for consideration at the annual meeting in January. 



(."!.) Proposals for the reorganization of the New Zealand Institute, initiated by 



Dr. Thomson, with a view to making it as a whole, apart from its branches, 



an active and efficient scientific body. These also were considered in detail 



with the comments of the various branches, and suggestions forwarded to 



the Secretary. 



In connection with bird-preservation the Council desires gratefully to acknowledge 



the aid given by Mr. W. H. Field, M.P., who took the keenest interest in the matter, 



and personally interviewed the Premier on the subject. 



During the year valuable additions to the Museum and the library have been 

 received, including among other items a collection of fifty butterflies and moths from 

 the Dominion Museum, contributed by Dr. Thomson ; a collection of minerals from 

 the volcanic region of Rotorua, by Mr. D. Sinclair ; and valuable books of reference, 

 by the Ven. Archdeacon Comins (late of Melanesia). 



For the first time this year the society has been called upon to contribute £6 15s 6d. 

 towards the general expenses of the New Zealand Institute. As the chief item in these 

 expenses is the publication of the Transactions, your Council has included in its sug- 

 gestions for the reorganization of the New Zealand Institute the proposal that the 

 Transactions should be issued gratuitously only to those members who make a written 

 application for the same. 



At the annual meeting the following officers for 1918 were elected : 

 President — A. J. Colquhoun, M.Sc. Vice-Presidents — C. T. Salmon, Assoc, 

 in Eng. ; D. Sinclair, C.E. Officer in Charge of the Observatory — A. J. 

 Colquhoun. Council — Miss Ironside, M.A. ; Messrs. H. Akers, J. L. Barni- 

 coat, C. N. Clausen, M. A. Eliott, R. Gardner, A. Hannay, W. Park, 

 J. Bainforth, J. E. Vernon, M.A. ; Dr. W. R. Stowe. Secretary and Trea- 

 surer—^. Wilson, M.A. Auditor— W. E. Bendall, F.P.A.N.Z. 



WANGANUI PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY. 



Eight meetings were held during the session 1917, and various papers 

 and exhibits submitted. The following were the principal papers con- 

 tributed : " The Tropical Islands of the Eastern Pacific," by Dr. P. Marshall ; 

 " Nebulae and Star Clusters," by Mr. J. T. Ward ; " History as a Factor in 

 Education," by Mr. H. E. Sturge, M.A. ; " The Discovery of America," by 

 Mr. Thomas Allison ; " New Zealand Provincialisms in the Use of English," 

 Mr. J. A. Neame, M.A. ; " Records of Observations of Mr. A. W. Burrell, of 

 Stratford, suggesting Comparatively Recent Volcanic Activity of Mount 

 Egmont," contributed through Mr. J. T. Ward ; " Mendelism," by Dr. 



12— Trans. 



