AUCKLAND INSTITUTE. 



First Meeting : 3rcl June, 1895. 



Professor A. P. Thomas, F.L.S., President, in the chair. 



Ncv) Members. — E. A. Carr, E. W. Duthie, S. Danneford, 

 Eev. J. T. Penfold, F.G.S., J. W. Tibbs, M.A. 



The President dehvered the anniversary address. 



Abstract. 

 The President prefaced liis address by speaking of various local 

 matters of particular interest to members of the Institute. All would be 

 glad to hear tliat the ground was clear for the acquisition of the Little 

 Barrier Island, and its setting on one side for the preservation of the 

 fauna and flora of New Zealand — a project initiated by the Institute in 

 1886. He expressed the hope that, as soon as the purchase was com- 

 pleted, the Government would take steps to remove the Maoris now 

 living on the island, and would also prevent the visits of unscrupulous 

 collectors. The unsuitability of the present lecture-room for the pur- 

 poses of the Society was dwelt upon. Some members were of opinion 

 that the diffusion of scientific knowledge by means of meetings, popular 

 lectures, &c., was no essential part of tlie duties of the Institute. He did 

 not agree with these, but considered they should do all in their power to 

 make their meetings more attractive and instructive. But this implied a 

 larger room, and the possession of suitable apparatus for illustrating the 

 lectures or papers read. He trusted that the matter would be fully con- 

 sidered by the Council during the coming session. He then passed on to 

 the subject he had selected for his address, " Life and Crystals " : the 

 phenomena presented by life, and the phenomena presented by inorganic 

 matter, particularly with regard to structure and growth. The structure 

 of the liviug cell, and its component parts, was described with consider- 

 able detail ; as also the structure and growth of crystals. The address 

 was copiously illustrated with diagrams, many of which had been 

 specially prepared for the occasion. 



Second Meeting: 17th June, 1806. 



Professor A. P. Thomas, F.L.S., President, in the chair. 



Professor F. D. Brown gave a popular lecture on " Argon, 

 the Newly-discovered Constituent of the Air." 



Abstract. 



The lecturer alluded to the paper read before the Royal Society on 



31st January by Lord Eayleigh and Professor Ramsay, in which the 



details of the discovery were first made public, and gave a synopsis 



of the chief facts of interest contained therein. He experimentally 



