554: j\'ew Zealand Institute. 



Professor Easterfield moved, and Mr. Hamilton seconded, 

 " That a committee of the Institute he appointed to co-operate 

 with the committees already moving in the direction of collecting 

 fluids for a memorial to the late Sir James Hector, in order 

 that a suitable memorial may be established." Carried. 



The Secretary read the following letter received from Dr. 

 Otto Klotz, of Ottawa, Canada, an honorarv member of the 

 New Zealand Institute : — 



Dear Sir, — Ottawa, Canada, 7th November, 1907. 



I have just seen in the telegraphic despatches that Sir James 

 Hector has passed away, and I hasten to pay my tribute of respect and 

 admiration for him who has " crossed the bar." To me it was a great 

 privilege to have made the personal acquaintance of Sir James in Fiji in 

 1903. and later to have been welcomed at his home in New Zealand. 



For us in Canada Sir James has left an indelible mark by his services 

 in connection with the Palliser expedition of 1857-60 ; and though his 

 work is more enduring than granite, yet some of his friends here have 

 erected a shaft to his memory near the summit of the Rocky Mountains, 

 which he knew so well. 



To the world, however, his subsequent labours for fully twoscore 

 years in his adopted home — New Zealand — are best known. Fortunate 

 indeed it was for New Zealand tbat Dr. Hector turned his face from the 

 Northern to the Southern Hemisphere, and devoted his life to the develop- 

 ment of that land, so richly endowed by nature. One can truthfully say 

 that Dr. Hector was your Nestor of science. In those early days, when 

 science was not so differentiated as it is to-day, there was scarcely a branch, 

 be it in geology, astronomy, natural hi.'tory, ethnology. ( "' meteorology, 

 in which he did not take an active and enthusiastic part. Men of such 

 many-sided parts are now difficult to find. To me the name "' Hector " 

 seemf graven over the country from the North Cape to the Bluff. 



Valuable as have been the services of many other distinguished men 

 in connection with the New Zealand Institute, yet the name of him for 

 whom we to-day momn must ever be the prominent one for many years 

 after its foundation. As His Excellency the Governor, Sir George F. 

 Bowen, said in his inaugural address in August, 18G8, " The Government 

 has been very fortunate in securing for this important office the proved 

 ability and judgment, the wide experience, and the untiring energy of 

 Dr. Hector, F.R.S It is to him we are mainly indebted for the valuable 

 collections of art and soienoe already accumulated in these halls." 



New Zealand has lost one of her great men. and the scientific world 

 one of her most conspicuous and earnest workers. 



In spirit I lay a laurel wreath on his grave. 



Fours, &c, 



Otto Klotz. 



Seoretary, New Zealand Institute. Wellington, New Zealand. 



Professor Easterfield moved, and Mr. Hamilton seconded, 

 " That the committee referred to in the previous minute consist 

 of Professor Benham, Dr. I. Cockayne, Messrs. Chapman, 

 Petrie, Speight, Gill, and the mover." Carried. 



Correspondence— A letter, dated Wellington, the 29th Janu- 

 ary. I!)<>7. from Mr. Henry H. Travers, was read, asking the 

 Institute to arrange for the publication of a "Manual of New 



