Annual Meeting. 503 



porosity of high-voltage insulators, reported on the 19th November, 1920, that £110 

 had been expended in constructing a testing-vessel and the mechanical appliances 

 necessary for manipulating the heavy masses of iron which were required in the con- 

 struction of a vessel to stand such high pressure. The tests were entirely satisfactory. 

 The testing-vessel stood a pressure of 2,000 lb. to the square inch for several days 

 without serious leakage. The tests for porosity were made on complete unbroken 

 insulators. These tests proved that the breakdowns upon the Lake Coleridge system were 

 in a very large measure due to porous insulators, and a test was devised which was 

 imposed upon recent tenderers for insulators for the Dominion by the Public Works 

 Department. It is hoped shortly to publish a detailed account of the tests and the 

 results arrived at from them. An application from Dr. Farr for a further grant of 

 £75 for a research into the physical properties of gas-free sulphur has been approved 

 subject to the Hon. Minister's consent. 



Miss K. M. Curtis, who in 1920 was granted £100 through the Nelson Institute 

 for a research in parasitic mycology, and in particular with reference to fruit-tree disease 

 in New Zealand, reported on the 13th December, 1920, that the question being con- 

 sidered in connection with the black spot of apple and the brown rot of stone-fruits 

 is that of immunity to disease. The experiments are being run conjointly for the two 

 diseases, and those so far carried out concern the determination of the optimum 

 physical conditions for spore-germination, the selection of the most suitable media 

 to secure the rapidity, the greatest percentage, and the virility of cultures following 

 spore-germination, and the determination of the age-limits of the cultures within which 

 infection of the host can be relied upon to take place. The sum of £21 has been 

 received, and will cover the cost of certain books ordered. 



Mr. George Gray, who in 1920 was granted £50 through the Philosophical Institute 

 of Canterbury for an investigation on the waters of Canterbury, reported on the 

 14th December, 1920, that owing to delay caused by having to fit up a laboratory for 

 the work, and the difficulty in obtaining suitable apparatus, the investigation had been 

 in abeyance, and requested that the grant, of which no portion had been expended, 

 should be available for next year. 



Dr. C. E. Adams, who in 1919 was granted £55 through the Wellington Philosophical 

 Society, reported on the 15th December that this amount had been forwarded to the 

 British Astronomical Association, and out of it a 7nicromcter eye-piece had been 

 purchased and had been received here. The eye-piece had been adapted to the 

 Wellington Philosophical Society's equatorial telescope at Wellington, and has been 

 partly tested, but so far the weather has not permitted a systematic use of the micro- 

 meter. It is, however, available and ready for measurement of any comets, &c, that 

 may be discovered. The British Association reports that owing to the high cost of 

 the other apparatus it is desirable to postpone purchase at present, with which view 

 Dr. Adams concurs ; and the association has been asked to make inquiries for suitable 

 second-hand apparatus. There is a balance of £36 12s. 2d. 



Dr. C. E. Adams, who was further granted £150 through the Wellington Philosophical 

 Society for a research on astronomical and geophysical sites, reported on the 16th 

 December, 1920, that preliminary investigations had been carried out in parts of Central 

 and North Otago, and arrangements have been made with a number of voluntary 

 workers to report on the weather conditions at various places in Otago. Part of the 

 grant has been spent in obtaining thermometers, &c, for this work. Of this grant 

 there is still an unexpended balance of £134 14s. 



Mr. W. G. Morrison, who in 1919 was granted £100 through the Philosophical 

 Institute of Canterbury, reported on the 12th December, 1920, that owing to limited 

 leave comparatively small progress had been made in the gathering of data. Without 

 extended leave he could not visit exotic plantations and native forests other than those 

 situated within easy reach of Hanmer, and in consequence his research work had been 

 confined to the North Canterbury district only. Nevertheless, some useful data had 

 been collected, and numerous photographs illustrative of natural seeding in various 

 stages of development had been supplied to the Director of Forestry, who had described 

 them as being " wonderful " and of superlative interest. A preliminary report on the 

 native forests of the Hanmer district was compiled and forwarded to the Director of 

 Forestry, who has acknowledged the work done as of great value. There is still an 

 unexpended amount of £30. 



Dr. J. Allan Thomson, who was granted £100 through the Wellington Philosophical 

 Society for a research into the chemical characters of igneous rocks, reported on the 

 5th January, 1921, that in his original application he stated that there was reason to 

 believe the superior analysis of igneous rocks, conforming to the standards selected, 

 would number about three thousand, of which he had previously calculated one 



