Presidential Address. 99 



cated to various Government Departments are printed in parliamentary 

 papers which are not readily accessible to those interested in scientific work, 

 this Institute would respectfully suggest to the Government the advisability 

 of publishing these also in book form, or of enabling the Institute to issue 

 them uniform with the Transactions." Carried. 



Antarctic Soundings. — Mr. Speight moved, and Dr. Farr seconded, " That 

 this Institute communicate with the managing committees of the projected 

 British Antarctic Expeditions, urging the importance of running lines of 

 soundings south from New Zealand towards the Antarctic Continent." 

 Carried. 3 



Election of Honorary Members. — It was decided to defer election of an 

 honorary member to fill the vacancy created by the death of the late 

 Professor Sharp, M.A., F.L.S., until the next annual meeting. 



-*}! Election of Officers. — The following officers for 1910 were elected : Presi- 

 dent — Mr. A. Hamilton ; Hon. Treasurer — Mr. M. Chapman, K.C. (authority 

 was given to the Standing Committee to appoint a deputy treasurer in the 

 event of Mr. Chapman's absence from the Dominion at any time) ; Secretary 

 —Mr. B. C. Aston ; Hon. Editor— Dr. C. Chilton ; Hon. Librarian— Mr. 

 A. Hamilton. 



Publication Committee : Professor Benham, Dr. C. C. Farr, Mr. R. 

 Speight, Mr. G. M. Thomson, Dr. Chilton (Hon. Editor). 



Hector Memorial Committee : Professor Benham, Professor Easterfield, 

 Dr. Cockayne, Mr, Chapman, Mr. Stewart, Mr. Petrie, Mr. Speight. 



The Index Committee was reappointed, with the addition of Dr. Chilton's 

 name. 



Place of Meeting. — Professor W. B. Benham moved, and Dr. L. Cockayne 

 seconded, " That the next meeting of the Board of Governors be held at 

 Auckland on the last Thursday in January, 1911." Carried. 



Travelling-expenses. — Dr. L. Cockayne moved, and Mr. D. Petrie seconded, 

 " That the^members of the Board of Governors be paid their actual travelling- 

 expenses." Carried. 



The minutes of this meeting were confirmed at a meeting of the Board 

 of Governors held in the Dominion Museimi Library on the 28th January, 

 19 10, at which the following members were present : Mr. A. Hamilton 

 (President), in the chair ; Messrs. M. Chapman, D. Petrie, Stewart, Wilson, 

 Professor Benham, Dr. Cockayne, and Mr. G. M. Thomson. 



PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS. 



The following is the presidential address delivered at the annual meeting 

 of the Board of Governors of the New Zealand Institute on the 27th January, 

 1910, by A. Hamilton, Director Dominion Museum : — 



(Tentlemen of the Board of Governors, — At our last annual meeting it was decided 

 that in future the Proceedings at our annual meeting should include an opening addi'ess 

 by the President for the time being, and, in accordance with this decision, I have the 

 honour to bring before you a few remarks on the progress of the Institute. 



It is not necessary for me to deal particidarly with the history of scientific societies 

 in New Zealand, as this has been already done on former occasions, and more especially 

 in a pamphlet compiled by tlie late Mr. R. Pharazjoi, in which he sets forth a short 

 history of the proceedings of the New Zealand Society, which was formed in 1851 at a 

 7)Tiblic meeting held in the Wellington Athenseum, and which had for its main object 

 the bringing to light of the physica,! character of the New Zealand group — its natural 

 histor}% resources, and capabilities. It had for its fir.st President His Excellency Sir 



