XX vi Presidential Address. 



Regarding the papers read at the Congress, a considerable portion were 

 such as in the ordinary course of events would have come before the 

 affiliated branches. This, it may be hoped, wiU be remedied in the future, 

 and that the papers submitted will be more on the lines of those of the 

 British Association. Nor need a comparison on the basis of population 

 make this appear a vain statement, for New Zealand possesses far more 

 problems purely her own to be solved than does Great Britain ; indeed, 

 for many years to come, abundant material for researches, novel in 

 character, will be at the disposal of our scientific men. A great agricul- 

 tural centre, such as Palmerston North, is a fitting place indeed for the 

 second Congress. At the Christchurch Congxess agriculture was a great 

 feature, thanks in part to the strong support of the Department of 

 Agriculture, and in part to a gathering of the agricultural instructors of 

 the Dominion being held at the same time. No time should be lost in 

 making preparations for the event, so this question will come before you 

 to-day. 



The matter of the Fellowship of the New Zealand Institute demands 

 more than a passing word. First, it must be pointed out that the election 

 of the Original Fellows took place in October last, the election being 

 made by a special committee — consisting of the Hon. Gr. M. Thomson, 

 Professors Chilton and Easterfield, and myself (the convener) — which was 

 appointed at your annual meeting last year " with power to act, to 

 determine the method of election of the remaining Original Fellows, and 

 to carry out the election." As I was likely to be away from Wellington 

 at the time of the election, I delegated my powers to Professor Easter- 

 field, and obtained Mr. Ewen's assent to his acting as returning officer. 

 To both these gentlemen I must record my grateful thanks. As soon as 

 the election was concluded Mr. Ewen sent me the names of those elected, 

 and I, as President of the Institute, informed by wire each successful 

 candidate of his election. I also wrote to the Secretary of each of the 

 affiliated societies giving the result of the election. Later, the names of 

 all the Original Fellows were published in the Government Gazette. There 

 are now twenty Fellows of the New Zealand Institute, who represent 

 nearly every branch of science pursued in the Dominion. As to the merits 

 of the election it is not for me to express an opinion, but I may be permitted 

 to say that as an ex officio Fellow I feel it a great honour to be in such 

 distinguished company. 



Although the election was carried out in a certain manner agreed upon 

 by the special committee, that is no precedent for future elections — the 

 occasion was unique. It is for this meeting to decide in what manner 

 the voting, &c., for candidates is to take place in future elections, both 

 by the Fellows, in the first instance, who select eight candidates from 

 the nominees of the affiliated societies, and, in the next place, by the 

 Governors, who are to select the four Fellows from the eight selected 

 candidates. Regarding these eight, and bearing in mind the number 

 of persons qualified for the Fellowship at the present time, it may be 

 confidently expected that each of them will be amply qualified for the 

 distinction, and that as years go on the status for such qualification 

 will rise. 



And now a few words as to the history of "the movement which led 

 to the establishment of the Fellowship. The first suggestion of a class 

 of members other than the ordinary members, whose admission to the 

 societies is a matter of form, was** put forward by Mr. G. V. Hudson a 



