108 Proceedings. 



The printing of the -work, which has been done vith great care by the Government 

 Printer, will greatly exceed the grant ot £500 made by Government for the pnrpose, 

 and the Council has been unsuccessful in its attempt to have the grant increeistd. It 

 will therefore be necessary for the Institute to be responsible for the additional cost — 

 ^^z., about £550. This will entail a serious drain on the finances of the Institute for a 

 few years, but the A^alue of the work for the purpose of exchanges for the library will 

 be very great, and som.e part of the cost will be regained through the sale of the work. 

 The price of the publication has been fixed at two giii-neas. 



Meatings of the Comicil. — The principal matters to which the attention of the Council 

 has been directed during the year are as fol'ows : The publication of the report on the 

 subantarctic islands, the raising of subscriptions to the Hector INIemorial Fund, the 

 consideration of the proposal niade by jVIi-. A. Hamilton, Pi'esident of the New Zealand 

 Institute, for the better utilisation of the libraries of the affiliated institutis, and the 

 setting-up of committees to deal with the following ciuestions of scientific interest — 

 A complete examinafon of the Christchurch artesian area, a survey of the Canterbury 

 lakes, the more adequate protection of our native fauna, and the continuation of the 

 observations in connection with the Arthur's Pass Tunnel. 



Library. — The CoTincil approved and cordially fell in with Sfr. Hamilton's scheme 

 of issuing a joint catalogue to encourage and facilitate reciprocity in the loan of books 

 among members of affiliated societies. It is hoped that scientific workers in the Do- 

 minion will greatly benefit by the arrangements when completed, and that the project 

 will lead to a more con\prehensive schenie to eii:brace all the scientific libraries of the 

 Dominion. 



Antarctic Library. — The Library Comn^ittee has kept steadily in Anew' the formation 

 of a library of Antarctic literature, and many important publications have been added. 

 The principal books on Antarctica now in the library are as follows : — 



" Voyage towards the South Pole," by Weddell. 



" Reports National Antarctic Expedition," 1901-4 (in part). 



" Reports Scottish National Antarctic Expedition " (to date). 



" Schwedischen Expedition nach den Magellanslandern," 1895-97. 



'• Through the First Antarctic Night," by F. A. Cook, 1898-99. 



" Reports of the ' Southern Cross ' Antarctic Expedition," 1898-1900 (in part). 



" Reports Expedition Antarctique Fran^aise," 1803-5 (to date). 



" Antarctic Manual." 1901. 



" Ergebnisse der Hamburger Magalhaensischen Sam.melreise," 189(J-97. 



" Zoological Reports of the Voyage of the ' Erebus ' and ' Terror.' " 

 The committee confidently hopes that further works on Antarctica will be added, 

 during the coming year, some being already under order, notably the '" Reports of the 

 Swedish Antarctic and the ' Belgica ' Expeditions." 



Arthur's Pass TwimeZ.— Observations in connection with the Arthur's Pass Tunnel 

 have been continued throughout the year. Tem.perature readings have been taken 

 every ten chains and specimens collected. Owing to the small depth of the present 

 workings and the low'ering effect of surface soakage there has been no nxarked rise in 

 the undergi'ound temperature. The rocks met with are somewhat monotonous, being 

 principally slate and greywacke. As the tunnel runs almost parallel to the axis of an 

 anticline, rapid variations can hardly be expected. The thanks of the Institrrte are 

 clue to ilessrs. John iMcLean and Sons for permitting the experiments, and to Messrs. 

 J. Wood and Manson for assistance in taking the readings and in collecting specimens. 



Investigation of ChristcMirch Artcsians. — Early in the year a committee was set up 

 for the pxirpose of systematically investigating the artesian system of Christchurch 

 and the neighbourhood. The committee has held several meetings, and has taken 

 preliminary ste])s for ascertaining the extent, depth, and geological relations of the 

 water-bearing strata, and for the examination of jihysical, chemical, and biological 

 properties of the water obtained from them. Two papers on the radium emanation 

 contained in the artesian water and on the effect of the water as it comes direct from 

 the well on trout and other fish have already been laid before the Institute, and it is 

 hoped that by next j^ear further papers will be ready for presentation. 



Animals Protection Act.- — A committee was appointed to consider the Animals 

 Protection Act, and to suggest amendments with a view to giving more effective pro- 

 tection to the native fauna of the Dominion. A conference was held with a similar 

 committee appointed by the Canterbury Acclimatisation Society, and a number of 

 recommendations weie made, which received the approval of the CoTincil. It is in- 

 tended to submit the proposals to other institutes for their consideration, and, if they 

 meet with a])proval, to bring the ni.atter under the notice of members of Parliament 

 and of the Minister of Internal Affairs. 



