518 Proceedings. 



" Maori Anthropometry," by Dr. P. H. Buck. 



Abstract. 

 In his paper Dr. Buck pointed out that anthropometry, which dealt with the measure- 

 ments of the human body so as to establish the standard type of genus of a race, had 

 been neglected as regards the Maori branch of the Polynesians. It was absolutely 

 necessary to set up the Maori type in order to study his relationship to the other branches 

 of the Polynesians, and to determine what Melanesian characteristics existed amongst 

 them. The Americans had four scientific expeditions working in Polynesia, and, since 

 New Zealand administered Samoa, the Cook Group, and Niue Island, we should not 

 lag behind in the scientific study of those Polynesian branches under our control. 

 Attention was drawn to the unsatisfactory condition that existed with regard to 

 standard Polynesian and Melanesian types owing to insufficient measurements of a 

 large enough number of living persons. Our primary duty was to remove this charge 

 of scientific neglect as regards ourselves by first establishing the Maori type or types. 

 He detailed some of the measurements made of over eight hundred members of the 

 Maori Battalion that served in the late war. For full-blooded Maoris he established 

 racial standards of 5 ft. 1\ in. in height and 11 stone 9 lb. in weight, which were 1 J in. 

 and 22 lb. greater than those so far accepted on too few observations. Head, face, 

 and nose measurements were detailed, and attention drawn to the tribal differences 

 that existed. An interesting feature was the modification of face and nose width which 

 occurred amongst those of mixed blood, the narrowing in these two measurements being 

 shown to increase with the greater admixture of white blood. The whole subject 

 opened up a new field of great scientific interest, and further investigation would 

 probably throw additional light on tribal and racial origin, and have an important 

 bearing on the culture differences that existed in various parts of New Zealand. 



" Some Investigations into the Variations in the New Zealand Price-level : 

 the Political, Social, and Industrial Effects following therefrom," by 

 Dr. J. W. Mcllraith. 



" The Horizontal Pendulum," by Dr. C. E. Adams. 



" History of the Offer of the Yale Telescopes to New Zealand," by Dr. C. E. 

 Adams. 



" The Earthquake of 20th September, 1920," by Dr. C. E. Adams. 



" A National Observatory for New Zealand," by Dr. C. E. Adams. (This 

 paper appears in the N.Z. Journal of Science and Technology, vol. 4, 

 pp. 91-94, 1921.) 



Eesolutions of the Science Congress. 



1. That this Congress, recognizing Bacillus amylocorus as being in the 

 forefront of destructive plant-diseases, views with alarm its introduction 

 into New Zealand, and urges upon the Government the necessity of adopt- 

 ing the most effective means towards its early eradication, and is further 

 of the opinion that it will be little short of criminal not only to the fruit- 

 grower and general public of the present day, but to future generations, 

 should any consideration of expediency whatever be allowed to interfere 

 with the vigorous prosecution of such a policy. 



2. This Congress is of opinion that an absolutely complete census of all 

 hawthorn hedges or single plants and all other hosts of fire-blight should be 

 carried out in conjunction with the forthcoming general census. 



3. That the time has arrived when the Marine Department ought to 

 establish systematic observations of the sea temperatures on the coasts of 

 New Zealand. In Europe and the United States, where such observations 

 have been regularly made for thirty years or more, important economic 



