Auckland Institute. 371 



that, mainly through objections raised by the various societies incorporated with the 

 Institute, these clauses were struck out of the Bill during its passage through Parliament. 

 British Association. — The next meeting of the British Association will be held in 

 Australia in the month of August, and arrangements have been made by the Govern- 

 ment to invite a number of the delegates to visit New Zealand early in September. A 

 suggested programme, prepared by a reception committee sitting in Wellington, pro- 

 vides for the arrival of the visitors in Auckland and their immediate journey south- 

 wards to Wellington and Christchurch, in each of which towns a stay of three or four 

 days is to be made, and meetings held. The Council are endeavouring to obtain an 

 alteration of this programme under which a visit of reasonable duration may be made 

 to Auckland. 



Museum. — The number of visitors to the Museum has been very close to last year's 

 record. 



The most noteworthy improvement made in the Museum during the year has been 

 the installation of a large group of flightless birds, including a restoration of the largest 

 species of moa (Dinomis maximus) ; a full-sized model of the skeleton of the same, 

 obtained from the well-known dealer, Mr. Damon ; an actual skeleton of a smaller 

 species of moa ; a mounted specimen and a skeleton of the ostrich ; an adult and a 

 young emu ; and two cassowaries. The whole group has been placed in a plate-glass 

 show-case standing in the centre of the main hall. 



Another conspicuous addition to the Museum is a group of birds of paradise, con- 

 taining in all thirty-seven specimens of thirteen different species. 



In order to bring these additions and many minor ones under the notice of the 

 members and the citizens of Auckland generally, the Council decided that they should 

 be inaugurated at a conversazione of members and their friends. This was held on the 

 evening of the 8th October, 1913, and passed off most successfully, an attendance of 

 about 550 being present. 



The most important donation made to the Museum during the year is the Hon. E. 

 Mitchelson's collection of kauri-gum, together with the plate-glass show-case in which it is 

 exhibited. This collection, which has taken over forty years to form, and which includes 

 picked examples of most, if not all, of the known varieties, is acknowledged to be the 

 most complete in existence. 



Several additions of importance have been made to the Maori collections by Dr. 

 Roger Buddie, Mrs. George Humphries, Mr. George Wootten, Miss M. Makai, Mr. Griffin, 

 Mr. Robison, Mr. A. E. Bregmen, and Mr. J. B. Thompson. In foreign ethnology the 

 only addition of importance is a fine collection of weapons, implements, ornaments, &c., 

 from the Louisiade Archipelago, purchased from Mrs. Ansley. 



Library. — An expenditure of £190 has been incurred on the library during the 

 year. In addition to the purchase of books, the magazines and serial publications sub- 

 scribed to by the society have been regularly received and circulated among the mem- 

 bers. A portion of the expenditure has been devoted to the binding of these serials, 

 and over seventy volumes have been added to the library from that source alone. Of 

 several donations from private individuals the most important is the presentation by 

 Professor Brown of thirty-two volumes of the " Annalen der Physik." 



Further Accommodation, required. — Two years ago the Council called attention to 

 the drawbacks and deficiencies which, through want of space, impede the development 

 of both the Museum and library, and will continue to do so in an increasing ratio until 

 an enlargement of the buildings of no small size can be obtained. At the present time, 

 if it is desired to show new additions of importance, room can only be found by with- 

 drawing articles already on exhibition. 



Last autumn a deputation from the Council waited upon the Premier in order to 

 press upon his notice the claims of the Museum for a grant in aid of a Building Fund. 

 Although the deputation was sympathetically received, the wave of financial stringency 

 then passing through the Dominion precluded any hope of immediate monetary assistance. 

 A promise, however, was made to the effect that the application would be favourably 

 considered during the session of Parliament to open in June next. It will be the duty 

 of the incoming Council to bring the matter once more under the notice of the Govern- 

 ment, and to take such steps to support the application that may appear to be requisite. 



Election of Officers for 1914. — President — C. J. Parr, Esq., Mayor of 

 Auckland ; Vice-Presidents — Professor H. W. Segar, J. H. Upton ; Council 

 —Dr. K. Brifiault, R. E. Burns, Professor C. W. Egerton, E. V. Miller, 

 the Hon. E. Mitchelson, T. Peacock, J. A. Pond, J. Reid, D. Petrie, 

 Professor A. P. W. Thomas, H. E. Vaile ; Trustees— T. Peacock, J. Reid, 

 J. H. Upton ; Curator and Secretary— T. F. Cheeseman ; Auditor — S. Gray. 



