570 Proceedings. 



of the Inspector agreed with the proper standard weights in the hands of 

 the Government. Some time ago a circular was sent to certain persons in 

 Wellington asking them to state the prioe at which they would furnish 

 the Government with iron ingots. The respective weights required were 

 specified, and it was also stated that the ingots had to have handles 

 by which they could be lifted. One tender, sent in by a person of 

 thoroughly good character, gave a price which amounted to a few 

 pence per pound. His tender was at once accepted, with a condition, 

 "Please let them be accurate." He replied that that was not 

 exactly what he tendered for — that in the iron trade an inaccuracy 

 of 4 or 5 per cent, in the weight of ingots was not thought to be 

 worth considering, and that the ingots might be from a frac- 

 tion of an ounce to several ounces out, according to their s'ze. 

 The conditions of contract were amended so as to require that the ingots 

 should be accurate in weight, and a few pence per pound was added to 

 the amount of the tender. The ingots were cast at a foundry, and they 

 were weighed on the machine on which all metal arriving at the factory 

 was we ghed. They were passed by the gentleman who was appointed 

 to pass them. The Government, however, then wrote to say that the 

 "stanrard weights" which had been sent in had been found to be in- 

 accurate. Previously they had used the word "ingots " These "stan- 

 dard weights " were accordingly adjusted, some by being planed down 

 and others by being plastered up. And that was how the standard 

 weights used by Inspectors were made. So it would be seen that an Act 

 of Parliament might be perfect, and the standard weight? obtained from 

 England might be perfect, but if the manner in which the Act was worked 

 was not perfect there would be inaccuracies as to weights ai d measures. 

 Mr. R. C. Harding said the weights in use in the post-offices ap- 

 parently needed to be brought into uniformity, as he had known several 

 cases where parcels which had been weighed and passed as correct in the 

 office where they were posted had been surcharged and fined at the office 

 of delivery. 



3. " On the Vapour Densities of the Fatty Acids," by Pro- 

 fessor Easterfield and P. W. Robertson. {Transactions, 

 p. 499.) This paper, read at a previous meeting, was dis- 

 cussed. 



Sir James Hector said the discovery was of great importance, and 

 showed how pdmirably the professor was leading his students in original 

 research. He depk red the lack of proper apparatus and appliances in 

 the University for the prosecution of valuable work of this kind. 



Mr. 1 regear spoke of the hopeful prospects of the Philosophical 

 Society. For years, as the pioneers fell out of the ranks, they had de- 

 plored the lack of younger men to fill the gaps. Now all this was 

 changed. Young men of the greatest promise 



A Member : And young women too. 



Mr. Tregear said, Yes, young women too — were taking a prominent 

 place in the scientific field. He congiatulated the professor and students 

 on the energetic work — work of permanent value— they bad already ac- 

 complished. We need have no ft ars as to the future of the Society. 



4. " Natural-history Notes from Dusky Sound," by 

 Richard Henry. 



Abstract. 



1. Pilchards. — In reading back numbers of the Transactions I 

 notice an account of the Picton herring which says that they remain in 

 Queen Charlotte Sound all the year round, which implies that they 

 must get their food there ; and when they have no teeth their food 

 must be small and soft ; and when they flourish it implies that some 



