40 Proceedings. 



Eighth Meeting : 18th November, 1908. 

 E. V. Miller, Esq., President, in the <'hair. 

 Papers. — 1. " Maori Forest Lore," by Elsdon Best. 



2. " Dumont D'UrviJle's Visit to Tolago Bay," translated from the French 

 by S. Percy Smith. 



3. " Notice of the Discovery of a Species of Burmanniacece in New Zea- 

 land," by T. F. Cheeseman. 



4. " Description of a New Species of Epilohium'' by D. Petrie. 



5. " Notes on Coleoftera from the Chatham Islands," by Major T. 

 Broun. 



6. " Revision of the New Zealand Cossonidce,^^ by Major T. Broun. 



1909. 



Annual Meeting : 22nd Fehruary, 1909. 



E. V. Miller, Esq.. President, in the chair. 



Report of the Cotjncil. 



At the expiry of another j'ear, and in conformity with the rules of the society, it 

 is the dutj^ of the Council to present to the members their forty-first annual re])ort, 

 dealing with the financial and general condition of the Institute, and the progress which 

 it has made during the past year. 



Members. — The number of new members elected during the year has been seventeen. 

 The number withdrawn from the roll has been ten — one from death, five from resignation, 

 and four from non-payment of subscription for more than two consecutive years. This 

 leaves a net gain of seven, the total number on the roll at the present time being 183. 

 The Council cannot but look upon this increase as disproportionately small. In the 

 maintenance and extension of a public museum, the Institute possesses an undoubted 

 claim upon the liberality of the citizens of Auckland. It is to be hoped that a recogni- 

 tion of this fact will lead to a larger addition to the membership during the coming year, 

 and that the increase will continue to keep pace with the advancing prosperity of the 

 city and its I'apidly increasing population. 



Finance. — Full particulars respecting the financial position of the Institute will 

 be found in the balance-sheet appended to this report ; but it will be useful to give a 

 brief synopsis here. The total revenue of the Working Account, excluding the balance 

 in hand at the commencement of the year, has been £1,095 7s. Id. The receipts for 

 the previous year amounted to £1.0.33 8s. 3d., so that there has been an increase of 

 £61 ISs. lOd. Examining the separate items, it will be seen that the receipts from the 

 invested funds of the Costley Becpiest have amounted to £370 lis. 3d., as against £3oo 

 12s. for the previous year. The Museum endowment, which now constitutes the chief 

 source of the revenue of the society, has vielded in rents and interest the sum of £426 

 15s. 6d.. as against £410 13s. 2d. for 1907-8. £100 15s. Id. has been transfen-ed from 

 the Mackechnie Library Bequest Account for the ])urchase of books, and £147 has been 

 derived from the members' subscriptions. The total expendituie has amounted to 

 £1.477 16s. .5d. ; but this includes the cost of the new workroom and other additions 

 chargeable against the balance of the Government grant received last year, amounting 

 altogether to £470 12s. 6d. The ordinary expenditure has thus been £1.007 3s. lid., 

 leaving a credit balance of £271 10s. lOd. in the Bank of New Zealand. There is no 

 change of any moment in regard to the invested fimds of the Institute, the total amomit 

 of which is £16,358 4s. 3d., showing an increase of £.">0 dining the year. 



Meetings. — Eight meetings have been held during the year, at which tlie following 

 papers were read and discussed : — 



1. Introductory address by the President, Mr. E. V. Miller. 



2. '■ The Influence of Engineering upon Architecture," bv F. E. Powell. C.E. 



3. •• The Problem of Cancer," by Dr. R. BrilTault. 



4. " Browning." by Professor C. W. Egerton. 



5. " On the Measurement of Electric Waves," bv Professor F. D. Brown. 



