676 Proceedings. 



killed in rotating swings, left from Saturday till Monday in chains un- 

 attended, and otherwise ill-used. Mr. Ewington warmly eulogized Dr. 

 Conolly, father of Mr. Justice Conolly, a celebrated lunacy reformer, and 

 showed a portrait of him on the screen, and described a magnificent trophy 

 given to him by the public in 1852 for ameliorating the condition of the 

 insane. He also spoke of Gardner, Hill, and Churchworth as reformers in 

 the same cause. Mr. Ewington pointed out that mechanical restraints 

 are still used in 219 asylums, and assured his audience that the only 

 safety was in good doctors and attendants, efficient official visitation, and 

 a free Press. He spoke warmly in praise of Dr. Macgregor and the Auck- 

 land staff, and assured his audience that the insane were better cared for 

 than they could be in their own homes. The lecturer next disposed of 

 various misconceptions: (1) That attendants are less kind than relatives; 

 (2) that lunatics are unkind to each other ; (3) that lunatics are not 

 sensitive; (4) that they are fools; (5) that all lunatics are dangerous; 

 (6) that the asylum is not the best place ; (7) that lunatics are always 

 cutting capers ; (8) that it is no good for friends to visit them. Mr. Ewing- 

 ton, in conclusion, dealt with the following needful reforms: Legal 

 assistance at first examinations ; better provision for classification; single 

 rooms required, for which (in Auckland) £3,000 had been voted; convales- 

 cent homes; and lastly, funds should be given to needy discharged 

 patients. 



At the conclusion of the lecture a warm vote of thanks was accorded 

 to Mr. Ewington. 



Sixth Meeting : 20th August, 1894. 



Professor F. D. Brown, Vice-president, in the chair. 



The Rev. J. Bates gave a popular lecture on " Comparative 

 Religion." 



Professor Brown, in moving a vote of thanks to Mr. Bates, said that 

 he was glad to find a clergyman of the Church of England reading a 

 paper like this. No one could read modern literature without feeling 

 that persons who thought were dissatisfied with religion as it was now. 

 Many ministers of religion were unwilling to recognize this fact. But it 

 was the case that those who thought were straying away, perhaps, in the 

 direction of the East. Darwin and Tyndall had had their say, and were 

 gone, and the materialistic ideas of a few years ago, which were then 

 thought so complete, were weakening. People were being attracted to 

 the East in search of ideas that might revivify religion. Those of the 

 clergy who recognized this were endeavouring to bring religion into line 

 with modern thought. 



Seventh Meeting : 3rd September, 1894. 



Mr. J. H. Upton, President, in the chair. 



New Members. — Professor Egerton, M.A., D. Petrie, 

 F.L.S., Mrs. D. B. Thornton. 



Papers. — 1. " Poetry considered as an Interpretation of 

 Life," by Professor Egerton. 



2. " A Yorkshire Blood-feud," by F. D. Fenton. 



