Annual Meeting. 473 



International Research Council. — It was resolved to expend up to £25 in payment 

 of the expenses of a delegate from England to a meeting of the above in Brussels. 

 Dr. Dendy was chosen by the Standing Committee to represent the New Zealand Institute 

 at the meeting, and his rejjort has recently been received. He stated that the confer- 

 ence was most interesting, and that, although no question arose of special interest to 

 New Zealand, he hoped that the Dominion might benefit by the organization of scientific 

 research which the Conference was endeavouring to establish. 



Resolutions passed at the Canterbury Philosophical Institute's Science Congress, held 

 in February last, were received from the Hon. Secretary, Canterbury Philosophical 

 Institute. The Hon. Secretarj;^, New Zealand Institute, was authorized to remit them 

 to the Departments concerned. The following is a synopsis of the replies : — 



(1.) The Hon. the Minister of Agriculture stated that he was largely in agreement 

 with the resolutions. A Pure Seeds Bill had already been drafted, and the preparation 

 of legislation to provide for the purity and standardization of spraying-compounds was 

 under way. The importance of the soil survey was also recognized. Hitherto the 

 difficulty had been one of staff ; but it was hoped to arrange this in the near future. 



(2.) The Hon. the Minister of Mines replied that an endeavour was being made 

 to secure the services of a suitable officer for the position of Palaeontologist to the 

 Geological Survey. 



(3.) The Hon. the Minister of Marine stated that the investigation into climatic 

 winds would be considered as soon as Mr. Bates returned to the Dominion. 



(4.) The Hon. the Minister of Internal Affairs replied (a) that the provision of a 

 Milne-Shaw seismograph had been approved, and that an order for its purchase was 

 being forwarded to the High Commissioner ; (6) that the establishment of an herbarium 

 would receive careful consideration when the necessary accommodation was available. 



Collection of New Zealand Coleoptera. — The Standing Committee have approved of 

 certain steps which the Director of the Dominion Museum proposed to take with the 

 object of having a collection of New Zealand Coleoptera retained in the Dominion. 



■ Lord Jellicoe's Visit. — The President (Dr. Cockayne) and Professor Easterfield 

 waited on Admiral Jellicoe on H.M.S. " New Zealand " as a deputation from the 

 New Zealand Institute to tender any information regarding the best body in New- 

 Zealand qualified to give scientific advice. The Admiral thanked the members of the 

 deputation for their attendance and advice. 



The following is the portion of Lord Jellicoe's report to the New Zealand Governor- 

 General which deals with the organization of scientific research in the Navy : — 



" It is very necessary that the fullest use should be made by naval officers of the 

 advances of science. . . . It is recommended that the Admiralty should be asked 

 to keep the New Zealand Naval Board advised as to the progress made by the Scientific 

 Research and Experiment Department. It is also recommended that an organization 

 on similar lines should be provided in New Zealand when practicable. 



" From the existing New Zealand Institute, wliich has technological sections, and 

 which can undertake investigation in general j^hysical and chemical problems, a nucleus 

 of a Naval Scientific and Research Department could be formed. 



" A number of the best scientists should be selected to form the Department under 

 the Presidency of the C.N.S., New Zealand Naval Board. A scientist of -wide experience 

 should be appointed as Vice-President. 



" In the first instance the work of the scientists of the proposed Sciei^tific Research 

 and Experiment Department . . . might be carried out at Victoria University 

 College, Wellington." 



Publication of Congress Papers. — The publication of the proceedings, papers, and 

 addresses which constituted the first Science Congress held under the auspices of the 

 New Zealand Institute was arranged as follows : — 



(1.) -The Christchurch daily papers, in the first place, gave very full, prominent, and 

 accurate reports of the work of the Congress day by day. 



(2.) Later, the Journal of Science and. Technology devoted two special numbers, 

 issued together (No. 4 and No. 5 of volume 2, issued July, 1919), to the publication of 

 those features of the Congress which were suitable for publication in the Journal and 

 which were not reserved for publication in the Transactions of the New Zealand Insti- 

 tute. This is really the best official record of the work of the Congress, being a 

 connected narrative of the proceedings, the title of every paper being given and (where 

 not required for the Transacliorhs) some account of each paper. A number of the 

 shorter papers were printed in full ; and, in addition, photos of some of the cliief 

 dignitaries of the Congress. 



