584 Proceedings. 



of Governors of the New Zealand Institute, requesting the 

 New Zealand Institute to undertake the publication of an 

 "Index Faunae Novae-Zealandiae," a catalogue, with refer- 

 ences, of all the. species of animals hitherto described from 

 the New Zealand area. 



In order to secure uniformity, it was proposed that Captain Hutton, 

 F.R.S., Curator of the Canterbury Museum, be requested to act as editor. 



The Chairman expressed the hope that all the members present 

 would sign the petition. He said that the preparation of the work pre- 

 sented no difficulty, provided that the Government, through the New 

 Zealand Institute, would undertake its publication. 



Paper. — "The Beginnings of Literature in New Zealand: 

 Part II., the English Section — Newspapers," by Dr. T. M. 

 Hocken, F.L.S. {Transactions, p. 99.) 



Prior to delivering his lecture he called attention to a number of 

 interesting exhibits of early New Zealand newspapers, including copies 

 of the Netu Zealand Gazette (Wellington), the first newspaper ever 

 printed in the colony, dated April, 1840 ; the curious old newspaper 

 printed on blotting-paper ; the ancient and famous Auckland paper 

 printed on a mangle ; and the early Bay of Islands papers, which were 

 wretchedly printed. Dr. Hocken adverted to the fact that last year he 

 had placed a paper before the Institute dealing with the Maori section 

 of literature, but he would now deal with the purely English section of 

 his subject as it struggled into life. Starting with the publication of the 

 first newspaper, Dr. Hocken traced in an intensely interesting fashion the 

 rise and fall of the multifarious newspaper ventures characteristic of 

 pioneer times, the recital of which was enlivened with many personal 

 reminiscences of men and things, and humorous incidents of the 

 struggles and difficulties of this early day journalism. Taking the several 

 newspapers, and dealing with them according to locality rather than 

 date, the lecturer described the beginnings and endings of the first Wel- 

 lington papers, which, after all sorts of vicissitudes, were incorporated 

 with the present New Zealand Times. The Bay of Islands prints were 

 then briefly alluded to, four of them having an average life of ten months 

 each. The Auckland journals came next in order, and the historic news- 

 papers that formed the connecting-link between ancient and modern 

 journalism, finally culminating in the Auckland Herald, made matter 

 for amusing and instructive description. The Nelson Examiner and New 

 Zealand Chronicle were the last under review. 



The Chairman said that he trusted that Dr. Hocken's health would 

 be so far renewed by his proposed trip that he would be enabled to com- 

 plete the valuable work of which that evening's lecture was only one 

 chapter. It would prove of untold value as'a contribution to the history 

 of the colony, and he knew of no one better fitted to undertake and 

 carry through the task than Dr. Hocken. The amount of research 

 involved was no inconsiderable item. In listening to the lecture he had 

 been impressed with the surprising vitality and exuberance displayed by 

 the writers in these early journalistic ventures, in whioh respect history 

 certainly was repeating itself. 



Mr. F. R. Chapman, in congratulating Dr. Hocken upon his paper, 

 said that they were drawing near to the end of the time when it would 

 be possible to obtain accurate information concerning the early history 

 of the colony and of its provinces. 



