116 Proceedings. 



6. " Early History of Rangitikei, and Notes on tlie Ngati Apa Tribe," 

 by T. W. Downes. 



7. " Lepidoptera from the Kermadec Islands," by E. Meyrick, B.A., 

 E.E.S. ; communicated by G. V. Hudson, F.E.S. 



8. " The PhysiogTaphy of Wellington Harbour," by Dr. J. M. Bell. 



Anntjal Report. 



A noticeable feature of the session which is now closing has been the large attend- 

 ance at nearly all the meetings. Doubtless this is cUie to the fact that the Council has 

 been trying the ex]3eriment of announcing by advertisement that the meetings are o]ien 

 to non-members. The session opened on the 5th May with an inaugural address by the 

 President, Mr. A. Hamilton, his subject being, " Some Suggestions concerning Scientific 

 Research in New Zealand." Nineteen papers in all have been read, and at several of 

 the meetings exhibits of an interesting nature have been laid on the table. 



At its annual meeting in January, the Board of Governors of the New Zealand 

 Institute did itself the honour of electing Sir George Howard Daiwin, F.R.S., an 

 honorary member of the Institute. Sir George was nominated by the Council of this 

 Society on the ground of his eminence as a mathematician and an astronomer. 



In 1908 the Council suggested to the Surveyor-General, IMr. Thomas Humphries, 

 that permanent bench-marks should be. set up at each place in the Dominion at which 

 tide-gauges were in use. At the first meeting of the session the Council -was able to 

 annovmce with pleasure that the Surveyor- General had foimd it practicable to adopt this 

 course. If these marks are left undisturbed, they should prove of great value in time 

 to come to students of earth-movements.* 



In accordance with a recent decision of the Board of Governors of the Institute, 

 the Transactions and the Proceedings are now published distinct from one another, 

 and the size of the page of the Transactions has been increased. To reduce the risk of 

 delay in distribiition, arrangements have been made whereby both the Transactions and 

 the Proceedings are posted direct to members from the Government Printing Office. 



Since the last annual meeting twentj'-one new members have been elected, six 

 members have resigned, one has died, and three have been struck off the roll because of 

 the non-payment of their subscriptions. The total number on the roll is now 116 

 (inclusive of four life members and one honorary member). 



A statement of the receipts and expenditure of the year, duly audited, is presented 

 with this report. Inclusive of the balance brought forward from the previous year 

 (£42 Is. lid.), the receipts amovmted to £144 19s. lid., and the total exijenditure was 

 £105 10s. 3d., leaving a credit balance of £39 9s. 8d. The research fimd, on fixed 

 deposit with the Bank of New Zealand, now amoimts to £46 9s. 3d. ; making a total 

 sum in hand of £85 18s. lid. Mr. Thomas King, who has been Secretary and Treasurer 

 for the last six years, finds it necessary, owing to increasing demands on his time, to ask 

 to be relieved of office at the end of the current year. The Chairman reported that, in 

 recognition of his services as Secretary and Treasurer, Mr. King had been elected 

 by the Comicil au honorary life member of the Society, and that a minute was being 

 prepared expressing the Coimcil's appreciation of Mr. King's services. 



Referring to the inaugural address delivered on the 5th May, the President reported 

 that the joint library scheme was still imder consideration, and that the negotiations 

 pointed to a useful scheme being arrived at. The suggestion to erect a shelter-shed on 

 the Tararuas had not been lost sight of, and it was probable that the Council would 

 make a grant towards the cost of the building. 



Election op Officers for 1910. — President. — Mr. A. Hamilton ; 

 Vice-Presidents — Mr. Thomas King, Dr. C. Monro Hector ; Comicil — 

 Mr. T. W. Kirk. F.L.S., Professor T^^ H. Easterfield, Mr. M. Chapman, K.C., 

 Mr. E. D. Bell, Professor H. B. Kirk, Mr. G. Y. Hudson, F.E.S., Mr. F. G. A. 

 Stuckey, M.A. ; Secretary and Treasurer — Mr. C. E. Adams, M.Sc, 

 A.LA. (Lond.) ; Auditor— Mr. E. R. Dymock, A.I.A. (N.Z.). 



* See " Report on the Survey Operations for the Year 1908-9," by Thomas Humphries, Surveyor- 

 General. Wellington, pp. 4 and 18. 



