574 Proceedings. 



Annual Meeting : \\th December, 1907. 



Dr. Cockayne in the chair, and thirty others present. 



The Chairman referred to the death of Sir James Hector, 

 and moved a resolution of sympathy with his family. This was 

 seconded by D '. Chilton, and carried, those present standing. 



Mr. Hogg referred to the return of the subantarctic expedi- 

 tion, and, on behalf of the Institute, welcomed the Canterbury 

 members of it. 



The following annual report and balance - sheet were 

 adopted : — 



The number of Council meetings held during the year was eighteen, 

 and the average attendance seven. Early in the year Mr. Hogg, who 

 had been appointed Secretary at the last annual meeting, resigned, and 

 Dr. C. Coleridge Parr took his place. 



Apart from the regular work which the Council has to perform every 

 year, the principal business this year has been the organization of the 

 expedition to the Auckland and Campbell Islands, which has now been 

 successfully carried through. In the early part of the year, owing to the 

 contemplated marine survey of the coast of New Zealand, it appeared 

 likely that it would be impossible to make arrangements with the Govern- 

 ment for the conveyance of the expedition, but on the abandonment of 

 the survey the .Minister of .Marine very readily fell in with your Council's 

 proposals, mid tinally agreed to take a party of twenty-five, landing them 

 in two sections, one at the Auckland Islands and the other at Campbell 

 Island. The selection of gentlemen to form these parties fell to your 

 Council, and they fully realised the responsibility thus east upon them. 

 The considerations which guided them in their choice were the efficiency 

 of bot li parties in every branch of science likely to be advanced by a visit 

 to these interesting islands, and the avoidance of overlapping. The Council 

 issued invitations to gentlemen of recognised standing throughout New 

 Zealand. It was inevitable that some of those whose names first occurred 

 to the Council should be unable, from one reason or another, to go. and the 

 Council much regretted*hat as the expedition left the RlufT it contained 

 no representatives from the Auckland District, although five distinguished 

 scientific men from the northern capital had been invited. This was 

 in i inly owing to circumstances over which neither the Council nor those 

 gentlemen themselves had control. 



Being acquainted with the work done by the members of the expedi- 

 tion in their several scientific capacities, the Council has no hesitation in 

 saying that the results are of such a character as to had to a considerable 

 extension of our knowledge not only of these little-known islands in par 

 ticular, but also of the Bubantarctic area in general. During the forth- 

 coming year it is probable that papers dealing with the expedition will 

 h<- brought before you, and il will !»■ a matter for the Council to be elected 

 this evening to decide as to most satisfactory means of publication of the 

 results as a u bole. 



For the purposes of the expedition the Council voted i'L'"> of the In 

 st it ntc's funds, and it has learnt since- its return that the Parliament has. 



at the suggestion of the Government, voted £160 towards the expenses. 



The Council notes with pleasure that an expedition has been organized 

 by members of the Institute and others to \ isit the Kermadccs and to 

 spend a year there for the purpose of making scientific collections. To 

 aid this work the Council has made ;i grant of £10 from the Institute's 



