NELSON INSTITUTE. 



Abstract of Annual Report. 



During the year a considerable amount of work was done in the direc- 

 tion of reorganizing the Museum. Several new cases were purchased, 

 and different members undertook the cataloguing and arranging of various 

 classes of exhibits. A great improvement had been effected, and there 

 is no doubt that during the coming year the work would have been 

 carried to a successful issue, had not the recent calamitous fire undone 

 all that had been achieved. Fortunately, not many of the exhibits were 

 actually destroyed or lost, but many were seriously damaged. 



The thanks of the Institute are due to Messrs. Charles and Lionel 

 Mackie, who kindly lent to the Museum a choice collection of minerals 

 and curios. Fortunately, these were little injured in the fire. 



In November, Dr. Bell, the Director of the New Zealand Geological 

 Survey, kindly gave, under the auspices of the Scientific Branch, an in- 

 teresting lecture on his experiences in the far north of Canada. The 

 net proceeds, which amounted to over £10, were devoted to the Museum 

 fund. 



A number of meetings were held during the winter months for the 

 discussion of scientific subjects, and were well attended. Mr. Worley 

 gave an account of the geology of the City of Nelson and its neighbour- 

 hood, and illustrated his remarks with maps, diagrams, and specimens. 

 Dr. Hudson delivered a lecture on the subject of Nelson weather, and 

 exhibited in diagrammatic form the results of observations which he had 

 made over a period of many years. Mr. Gibbs gave a lecture on elec- 

 tricity and X rays, and showed experiments with a powerful Wimshurst 

 machine and a Rontgen ray apparatus. Short papers were read on the 

 brilliant June meteor, the various potato-blights, and some insect pests, 

 and several other subjects and numerous exhibits were shown at the 

 meetings and discussed. The Scientific Branch will no doubt continue to 

 meet during the coming winter, and all persons who take an interest in 

 scientific matters are cordially invited to attend. 



20 -Trans. 



