88 Proceedings. 



several of its members, and Dr. Hilgendorf will read to-night an instructive paper 

 on the variation of the wells near Lincoln. Messrs. George Gray and A. M. Wright 

 have also been conducting analyses of well-waters ; the height-observations have 

 been resumed at the Museum, and similar observations have been begun by Mr. 

 Langford P. Symes at Belfast, in order to measure the effect, if any, of the height 

 of the Waimakariri on the levels of the wells in that locality. 



The readings at the Otira Tunnel are still being continued, with the assistance 

 of Mr. Manson of the Public Works Department, but at present they are not yielding 

 results of any striking interest. 



Kapiti Island. — The Council has always considered it a duty to constantly urge 

 the importance of preserving the native fauna and flora of New Zealand, and when 

 it was suggested that Kapiti Island, one of the Dominion's sanctuaries, could with 

 advantage be used as a holiday resort for Wellington, the Council made strong- 

 representations to the Government as to the retrograde nature of the proposed step, 

 and had the satisfaction of eliciting from the acting Minister of Lands a statement 

 that it was not intended to interfere in any way with the position of the island as a 

 sanctuary. 



Survey of the Continental Shelf. — The Council also urged on the Government 

 the desirability of using the s.y. "Terra Nova" in investigating the biological and 

 hydographical problems of the New Zealand continental shelf. Its representations 

 were not accepted, but it is to be hoped that the work which has been done by the 

 " Terra Nova " in the waters immediately to the north of New Zealand may result in 

 substantial additions to our scientific knowledge of the marine fauna of that area, as 

 well as to conduce to the safety of shipping between Australia and this country. 



Library. — The library has been kept up to date as far as has been possible, and 

 the Council has been fully alive to the necessity of keeping up the Antarctic library, 

 and volumes have been added thereto by presentation and by purchase as the funds 

 have allowed. The most notable addition has been the reports of the Gauss Expedi- 

 tion, the expenditure on which has already exceeded £'40. 



Meetings of the Institute. — Eight meetings of the Institute have been held during 

 the year, at which the average attendance has been sixty-six. At these, fourteen 

 papers embodying the results of original work have been received. These may be 

 classified as follows : Chemistry, 1 ; Zoology, 5 ; Botany, 4 ; Geology, 1 ; Mathe- 

 matics, Miscellaneous, 3. In order to provide members with information of more 

 general interest, the following addresses have been delivered during the year : "A 

 Study in Multiple Personality" (ex-Presidential address), by Mr. R. M. Laing ; 

 "The Natural History of Whales," by Mr. D. G. Lillie, biologist to the "Terra 

 Nova"; " Recent Advances in Radio-activity," by Mr. D. C. H. Florance ; "Bogs 

 and their Bearing on Climate," by Mr. R. Speight; " The Modification of Deep-sea 

 Fish to suit their Environment," by Mr. Edgar R. Waite ; " Profit-sharing," by Mr. 

 A. W. Beaven. 



Membership. — During the year twenty-six members have been elected and four- 

 teen have resigned or been struck off, so that the number now stands at 183. 



Balance-sfieet. — The balance-sheet shows a credit on the Institute's ordinary 

 account of £17 19s. 6d., in the hands of the London agent £29 14s., and in the 

 Tunnel Account £142 19s. lOd. A sum of £113 19s. lOd. has been spent on the 

 library, and £150 has been paid to the Government Printer on account of the ex- 

 penses in connection with the publishing the " Subantarctic Islands of New Zea- 

 land " ; the receipts for the year from the sale of the work has been £93 7s., and the 

 amount still owing to the Government Printer has been reduced to £350. 



Election of Officers for 1912. — The following were elected officers : 

 President — Dr. L. Cockayne; Vice-Presidents — Mr. A. M. Wright, 

 Mr. S. Page; Hon. Secretary — Dr. C. Coleridge Farr ; Hon. 

 Treasurer — Mr. R. Speight; Hon. Librarian — Mr. Edgar R. Waite; 

 Council-Mr. J. Drummond, Mr. M. C. Gudex, Mr. P. H. Powell, Dr. 

 F. W. Hilgendorf, Mr. E. G. Hogg, Mr. R. M. Laing; representatives on 

 the Board of Governors of the New Zealand Institute — Dr. F. W. Hilgen- 

 dorf, Mr. R. Speight; Hon. Auditor— Mr. G. E. Way, F.I.A.N.Z. 



Papers. — 1. " Fluctuations in the Water-level of some Artesian Wells 

 in the Christchurch Area," by Dr. F. W. Hilgendorf. 



2. " Notes on New Zealand Fishes, Part III," by Edgar R. Waite. 



3. " The Lower Waipara Gorge," by R. Speight.' 



4. " Classification of Verse, Part II," by Johannes C. Andersen. 



5. "On certain Tripolar Relations," by E. G. Hogg. 



