Of ago hid it ute. 563 



Abstract. 



During the year the Council lias met seven times for the transaction of the business 



of the Institute. 



Steps were taken early in the year to urge upon the Government the importance of 

 the completion of the publication of the scientific results of the Australasian Antarctic 

 Expedition, and a request was made to the Prime Minister by the Council that the 

 Government should make a giant to Sir Douglas Mawson of £500, extending over two 

 years, to enable him to complete this work. It is gratifying to record that the repre- 

 sentations of this Institute, and of other kindred societies in New Zealand, have been 

 of assistance in obtaining a substantial grant for the purpose referred to. 



In August your Council, sitting in conjunction with the committees of the Techno- 

 logical and Astronomical Branches, carefully considered the question of the relationship 

 of science and industry, and of the need of stimulating and directing industrial research 

 in the Dominion. Information as to what had already been done in Australia in the 

 way of establishing a Scientific Institute was laid before the meeting, and it was decided 

 to urge our own Government to take similar steps in New Zealand at as early a date as 

 possible. A public meeting was also arranged for, at which representatives of science 

 and industry would place before the public the necessity of devising some plan for 

 organizing scientific methods of industrial research. 



As a result of the efforts of your Council a very successful public meeting was held 

 in the Town Hall on the 4th September, His Worship the Mayor presiding. Excellent 

 speeches calling attention to the present neglect of scientific method in our industries 

 were made by the President of the Chamber of Commerce, the President of the New 

 Zealand Institute, and others, and it was resolved to request the Government to con- 

 sider the better organization of science in relation to industry and education. Further, 

 a committee consisting of both scientific men and leaders of industry was set up to 

 advise as to how this organization might best be attained, and to what extent science 

 could be made to assist the industries of the Dominion. The committee has since 

 become a separate body — " The Institute of Industrial Science of Otago " — and its 

 subsequent activities consequently do not come within the scope of this report. It 

 may be noted, however, that of the thirty-two gentlemen at present on the committee 

 no fewer than twenty-six are also members of tins Institute. It may be added also 

 that the active, sympathy of the Minister of Internal Affairs has been secured, and his 

 Department has already taken some preliminary steps in the desired direction. 



Meetings. — During the year seven ordinary meetings of the Institute have been 

 held, at which there have been read or received fifteen papers, embodying the results 

 of original research. A number of addresses have also been delivered during tho past 

 session. 



In October advantage was taken of the presence in Dunedin of Mr. J. L. Elmore, 

 a visitor who had spent many years in the careful study of aboriginal pictographs in 

 several countries, to ask him to address a special meeting of the Institute on " Maori 

 Rock Paintings." A special feature of this meeting was the display of large and accu- 

 rate tracings of practically all the known rock paintings in the South Island. Impressed 

 with the desirability of permanently preserving a number of these designs before 

 weathering destroys them, your Council subsequently made a grant of £12 10s., the 

 Auckland Institute contributing a similar amount, to enable Mr. Elmore to remove a 

 number of the paintings from the rock shelters near Duntroon. This undertaking has 

 since been successfully accomplished, and over thirty pieces are now lodged in the 

 Museum. Some of these will later be forwarded to Auckland in accordance with the 

 terms of the agreement. 



Membership. — During the year six new members have. been elected. On the other 

 hand, twenty-four members have resigned their membership, in most cases owing to 

 their removal from Dunedin, and two members (Sir Joshua S. Williams, K.C.M.G., 

 and Major F. H. Statham) have been removed by death. The membership roll, there- 

 fore, has suffered a net decrease of twenty members, and now stands at 164. 



It is with deep regret that we have to record the approaching departure of our 

 President, Professor Marshall, in order to take up his duties as head master of the 

 Wanganui Collegiate School. During his sixteen years' residence in Dunedin Dr. 

 Marshall has been of invaluable assistance to the Institute. He has served on the Council 

 for fifteen years ; for two of these he acted as Hon. Secretary, and he has twice filled 

 the President's chair (in 1906 and 1916). Last year, it will be remembered, the New 

 Zealand Institute awarded him the Hector Memorial Medal. In addition to his con- 

 tributing a large number of papers on research work to this society, Dr. Marshall has 

 time and again willingly assisted with most interesting matter in making up an evening's 

 programme, often at very short notice. His ever-ready and valuable help will be very 

 much missed by the Council and members of the Institute. 



