Auckland Institute. 751 



Ten meetings wore held during the year, at whicii seventeen papers 

 were read. 



The register kept on Sundays shows that 10,154 persons entered the 

 Museum on that day, cr an average of 191 ; the daily average on week- 

 days being about 100. 



Numerous donations liave been made to the Museum, but the 

 Council regret tliat, owing to being unable to employ a taxidermist, most 

 of the additions in the Zoological Department have had to be packed 

 away, and some had to be declined. The Council specially refer to the 

 gift made by the chief Hami te Waewae of a carved post or " tiki " from 

 Otakanini Pa, Kaipara, a fortress well known in ancient ^.laori history. 

 Other donations of special value have been made by Mr. T. Coates, Mr. 

 P. D. Fen ton, Mr. T. C. Tims, and Mr. E. H. Woledge. 



The rearrangement and labelling of the minerals has been com- 

 pleted ; the collection of kanri-gum has been rearranged and made ready 

 for labelling; duplicate and unexliibited specimens of all classes have 

 been carefully overhauled and repacked, and several sets have been 

 withdrawn for exchange ; several minor changes have been made in the 

 arrangement of tlie ethnological collections. 



For some years past the eastern end of the maiu hall had been 

 exceedingly damp during winter and spring, and of late the south wall of 

 the Ethnological Hall had shown the same fault. After consulting 

 several authorities, it was decided to treat the exterior of the walls with 

 Szerelmey stone liquid, which has been used with good results on several 

 important public buildings at Home. The importation of the liquid 

 and its proper application have proved rather costly, but the walls 

 remained perfectly dry through last winter and spring. 



An expenditure of £50 has been incurred during the year in the 

 purchase of standard scientific works. Special attention is drawn to the 

 publications of the Egyptian Exploration Fund, the Royal Society's 

 Catalogue of Scientific Papers, and the recenti}' issued Index Kesvensis. 



The Council have pleasure in alluding to a donation made by Mr. 

 D. Rough, the first haibourmaster of Auckland, of seven water-colour 

 sketches of incidents eoiinected with the early days of Aiickland, forming 

 an interesting and weiconie addition to the collection bearing on the early 

 history of the colony. 



Very disquieting rumours have been prevalent in Auckland respect- 

 ing the position of matters on the Little Barrier Island. It has been 

 stated that, so far from the island having been kept as a strict preserve 

 for the rarer members of the New Zealand fauna, large numbers of birds 

 have been slaughtered and sold — some to people in New Zealand, and 

 others to collectors in England. It is difficult to understand how such 

 a practice could be carried on without the knowledge of the caretaker, 

 or the assistance of the Maoris resident on the island ; but the rumours 

 are so circumstantial, and of such independent origin, that tliey probably 

 rest on a basis of truth. The matter was brought under the notice of 

 Parliament, and an investigation was ordered ; which, however, does not 

 seem to have resulted in either proving or disproving the statements 

 which have been made. It is satisfactory to know, however, that the 

 Maoris residing on the island have been removed ; for it cannot be denied 

 that their presence was a continual source of danger, either from the 

 risk that the high prices offered by dealers might tempt them to start 

 collecting, or by keeping up a regular means of communication between 

 the island and the mainland, and thus making the visits of collectors 

 easy. The Council are of opinion that there should be no resident on 

 the island except the caretaker, who should be a man of proved honesty 

 and integrity, and who should be armed with full powers to prevent 

 unauthorised persons from landing. 



