390 Proceedings. 



Seventh Meeting : 30th October, 1913. 



Mr. R. Gardner in the chair. 



Lecture. — " The Theory and Practice of the High-pressure Transmission 

 of Power," by Mr. C. T. Salmon, Associate in Engineering. 



Annual Meeting : 20th November, 1913. 

 Mr. R. McNab, President, in the chair. 



Annual Report. — -The President moved the adoption of the report. 



In doing so he mentioned that during his recent visit to Australia he had gained 

 a large amount of additional information about the early history of New Zealand 

 through the recent discovery in Sydney of the records — previously supposed to have 

 been destroyed — of the Supreme Court of New South Wales from 1788 to 1830. 



In speaking to the motion, several members suggested that the Government should 

 give Mr. McNab some honorary official position that would give him the right of free 

 access to all sources of information. 



Abstract of Annual Report. 



In presenting their annual report your Council have first to express then deep sense 

 of the loss which the Society has sustained in the lamented death of Captain Hewitt, 

 R.N., one of the original membeis of the Society, who ever since its establishment has 

 been in charge of the observatory, in which he at all times took the keenest interest. 

 Mr. C. T. Salmon has, at the request of the Council, kindly taken charge in his place. 



During the year two members have died, six have resigned, two have been struck 

 off for failing to pay their subscription, and four new members have been elected. There 

 has thus been a decrease in the number of members ; and, unfortunately, no increase 

 in the contribution of papers or notes, or in the attendance at the ordinary meetings of 

 the Society. 



There have been held eleven meetings of the Council and eight general meetings, at 

 which the following papers were read : " Scientists of Note," by Mr. Welsh, F.R.G.S. ; 

 " The Wanganui River historically considered," by Mr. T. W. Downes ; " The Southern 

 Cross and other Wonders of the Southern Skies," by Miss Proctor ; " Reminiscences of 

 Continental Travel," by Mrs. J. H. Rimmer ; " The Alpine Regions of Mid-Canter- 

 bury," by Mr. R. Speight, M.A., F.G.S. ; " The Spectroscope popularly explained," by 

 Mr. J. W. Poynton, S.M. ; " The Theory and Practice of the High-pressure Trans- 

 mission of Power," by Mr. C. T. Salmon, Associate in Engineering; "The Flowers of 

 the Sky," by Miss Proctor. 



The Museum still continues to grow rapidly, there having been over 120 additions 

 in the course of the year, among the most noticeable of which are — Human bones and 

 cooking-stones from a Maori oven on the Mokau Beach, presented by Mr. McNab ; 

 various birds, native and Australian, obtained partly by purchase and partly by 

 exchange with the Otago Museum ; collections illustrating the processes of manufacture 

 of linoleum, shale-oil, glue, paper, hooks and eyes, needles, pens, and explosives, these 

 being obtained from the various manufacturers at Home, and forwarded by the kind- 

 ness of Miss Glendinning. 



Election of Officers for 1914.— President— Mr. J. W. Poynton, S.M. ; Vice- 

 Presidents— -Messrs. R. McNab, M.A., LL.B., F.R.G.S., and R. Gardner; 

 Officer in charge of the Observatory — Mr. C. T. Salmon, Associate in Engineer- 

 ing ; Council-- -Messrs. J. L. Barnicoat, M. A. Eliott, J. B. Gerrand, W. Park, 

 J. E. Vernon, M.A., and Miss Ironside, M.A. ; Secretary and Treasurer—Mr. 

 K. Wilson, M.A. ; Auditor— Mr. R. Davis, F.P.A.N.Z. 



