Auckland Institute. 609 



the large supply of kakaho or reeds which will be required for the roof and 

 verandah of the house. The huge gable-boards, or maihis, which were 

 unfortunately wanting when the house was purchased, have been carved 

 at Rotorua by an experienced Maori carver after old designs, the 

 work being superintended by Mr. G. E. Nelson, whose intimate knowledge 

 of Maori handicraft is a guarantee that it has been well executed. 

 Members are aware that the late Mrs. Mackechnie bequeathed a sum of 

 £500, to be expended, at the discretion of her executor, in suitable addi- 

 tions to the Museum. This gentleman decided that the bequest should 

 be devoted to the purohase of stuffed groups of the larger animals, set up 

 in the best style of taxidermy, and protected by plate-glass cases. The 

 first of these groups, consisting of a male and female lion and four cubs, 

 has been received during the year, and has been placed in the main hall, 

 to which it forms a great attraction. A companion group, comprising a 

 male and female tiger and a leopard, is now on its way from England, 

 and may be expected at any time. A third group has been arranged for, 

 and thefunds will probably be sufficient to obtain a fourth. In last year's 

 report it was stated that the Mackechnie bequest of £2,000 had been 

 received and invested, and that in future an annual income of about 

 £100 would be available for the purchase of books for the library. The 

 Council have consequently been able to order two consignments from 

 their London agents. The first of these arrived some months ago ; the 

 second is now on its way from England. Funds will shortly be available 

 for another shipment ; in fact, the regular purchases which can now be 

 made will enable the Council to extend the library in a manner which could 

 not be attempted out of the ordinary revenue of the society. With the 

 quicker growth of the library the question of additional accommodation 

 will soon require consideration. The Council have to report that the 

 connection of the Institute with the maintenance of the Little Barrier 

 Island as a sanctuary for the preservation of the avifauna of New Zea- 

 land, which has existed since the beginning of 1897, is now about to 

 close, the Government having intimated that the Tourist Department will 

 assume direct control at the end of the financial year, on the 31st March. 

 The Council claim that during the eight years the island has been in 

 their charge the visits of collectors have been effectually stepped, and 

 that no unauthorised persons have been allowed to land ; that the stock 

 left upon the island by the Maori owners has been removed, and that 

 their visits have consequently ceased ; and that wild cats and other 

 vermin have been shot or otherwise destroyed. The result of these 

 measures is seen in the fact that birds of all kinds are much more 

 numerous than when the island was first acquired, and are more generally 

 distributed, even breeding in large numbers on the flat, close to the 

 Curator's house. The Council much regret the change, and would point 

 out that in removing the management of the island from the Institute 

 the Government are losing the services of a local body whose sympathies 

 and inclinations are all on the side of the preservation of the fauna of 

 New Zealand, and who can command the expert knowledge that is 

 required, whereas it cannot be said that the Tourist Department 

 possesses any special qualifications for the work. 



Election op Officers fok 1905. — President — Professor 

 A. P. W. Thomas ; Vice-Presidents — Dr. E. Eoberton and 

 J. Stewart, C.E. ; Council — L. J. Bagnall, Professor F. D. 

 Brown, H. Haines, J. H. Howell, J. Kirker, E. V. Miller, 

 T. Peacock, D. Petrie, J. Eeid, Professor H. W. Segar, 

 J. H. Upton ; Trustees — T. Peacock, J. H. Upton, Professor 

 F. D. Brown; Secretary and Curator — T. F. Cheeseman, 

 F.L.S., F.Z.S. ; Auditor— W '. Gorrie. 



39— Trans. 



