Sixteenth Annual Meeting. 463 



Projesvor \\ . P. Enins, tt) whom t2U() was granted in 1918, througli the Philo- 

 sophical Institute of Canterbury, for investigating New Zealand brown coals, reported 

 on the 24th December, 1918, that only preliminary work on a very small scale had betn 

 possible owing to the difficulty in obtaining apparatus and assistance. An experienced 

 assistant, at £250 per annum for two years from the 1st February, 1919, had now been 

 secured, who would give his whole time to the work. No payments out of the grant 

 had been made, but fractionating apparatus to cost £58 had been ordered and should 

 shortlj- arrive from London. The Board of Governors of Canterbury College had added 

 £100 to this grant for the j^ear 1919, and had promised additional £150 for 1920. 

 (irantee requested that the grant of £200 might be carried on to 1919. 



Projessor C. Chilton, to whom £50 was granted in 1918, through the Philosophical 

 Institute of Canterbury, for investigating New Zealand flax (phorniiuni), on the 31st 

 December, 1918, reported that although the grant had been made in his name the 

 investigations had been carried out by Mrs. B. D. Jennings, who had made considerable 

 progress, more particularly in the direction of starting observations and experiments 

 to test the cause of diseases affecting the flax, improved methods of cultivation, &c. 

 There had been a serious deterioration in the flax cro]) in some districts, involving losses 

 of such commercial value that further investigation was more necessary than ever. 

 Only £10 of the grant had been spent, but the grantee asked that the grant might be 

 continued for another year. 



A more detailed re])ort has since been submitted (30th December, 1918) by Mrs. 

 Jennings, through Dr. Chilton, intimating that she has been engaged by the Flax- 

 millers' Association to investigate the yellow-leaf disease, on which she submits soBce 

 information. 



Professor .John Malcohii, to wlioin £30 was granted in 1918, througli the Otago 

 Institute, reported on the 7th December, 1918, that, largely owing to having had this 

 "rant at his disposal, he had been enabled to send for jJublication in the Transactions 

 of the New Zealand Institute a short paper on tutu fruit and seed, and had made some 

 further progress with woik on pukateine. He asked that the subject of his investiga- 

 tions might be extended to include questions referring to the preservation of meat and 

 dairy produce. Grantee had spent £14 12s. on books, chemicals, experimental material, 

 and petty cash. 



Professor T. H. Easterfield, to whom £50 was granted in 1918, through the Wel- 

 lington Philosophical Society, for investigating the wax content of New Zealand brown 

 coals, reported in January, 1919, that, owing to tjie temporary deprivation of his assistant 

 by illness, and the war, the investigation had not been commenced, neither had anj' 

 expense been inciirred. The grantee asks that the grant may be continued for another 

 year. 



It will be noticed that in most cases the sums granted have not been expended. 

 In some cases the amounts have been lodged in a local savings-bank by the grantee to 

 his credit. In future it will be desirable that the sums be retained by the Institnte 

 until required, so that any interest may become its property. 



One of the grants (for £20) which has been surrendered has been placed to the 

 credit of the New Zealand Institute, and it will be necessary to decide what to do with 

 this sum. 



A discussion took place on the final clause of the report, dealing with 

 the disposal of the interest on the unexpended portion of grants. On the 

 motion of Mr. Eliott, seconded by Professor Segar, it was resolved, That 

 in future sums voted be retained by the New Zealand Institute and placed 

 in the Post-office Savings-bank or other approved investment until actually 

 required by the grantee, so that the New Zealand Institute receive the 

 benefit of any interest earned and hold it in trust for future research grants. 

 An amendment by Professor Chilton, seconded by Dr. Hilgendorf, that the 

 grants on allocation should be paid to the Treasurers of the societies 

 through which the applications were made, was lost. 



On the motion of Dr. J. A. Thomson, seconded by Professor Thomas, 

 it was resolved, That the Government Research Grant Committee be in- 

 structed to amend the regulations for administering the research grant 

 by incorporating resolutions passed by the Board of Governors which aft'ect 

 the administration of the grants. 



