544 New Zealand Institute. 



glass frame. On the whole, the Museum is now in good 

 order, and has been made as accessible to the public as the 

 cramped space provided for such extensive collections will 

 permit. 



It has been arranged that the Lecturer on Geology for the 

 Victoria College shall have temporary use of the herbarium- 

 room for his class-work, and that he may also have free access 

 to any geological and mineral specimens he may require for 

 illustration of his lectures on condition that they are not to 

 be removed from the Museum building. 



Meteorological. 



The results of the meteorological observations taken at 

 the principal stations for 1899 have been forwarded to the 

 Kegistrar-General for incorporation with his annual report. 

 The complete monthly returns for Wellington, and the 

 monthly rainfall from 165 stations in New Zealand, have 

 been published regularly in the Gazette. The monthly return 

 for the vital statistics has also been furnished. The weather 

 exchange, by telegraph, is carried on as usual between this 

 colony and Australia. 



Colonial Time-ball Observatory. 



Mr. Thomas King, the officer in charge, reports as fol- 

 lows : The time service has been carried out as in former 

 years. New Zealand mean time has been distributed daily 

 by telegraph throughout the colony ; whilst special signals for 

 the use of navigators in rating their chronometers have been 

 sent weekly to the chief seaports on the mornings after 

 meridian observations have been taken. Hourly clock signals 

 have, as heretofore, been automatically given from the Obser- 

 vatory to the Wellington Telegraph-office (operating-room and 

 public office), to the Colonial Museum, and to the business 

 premises of those watchmakers in Wellington who are on the 

 galvanometer circuit. The time-ball is now dropped on every 

 day of the week except Sunday ; and for the guidance of ship- 

 masters a flag is displayed on the ball tower on those days on 

 which, as the result of transit observations, the time may be 

 employed for close-rating purposes. Acknowledgments are 

 due to the Wellington Harbour Board for the readiness it has 

 shown to make the necessary arrangements for carrying out 

 this plan. I should like to be allowed to record my thanks 

 to Mr. William Ferguson, Secretary of the Board, and to 

 Mr. G. F. Smith, the Assistant Secretary, for their courteous 

 co-operation with the department in the matter. The tele- 

 graph authorities have been at all times obliging in promptly 

 taking any steps which were required for insuring the proper 



