WELLINGTON PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY. 



Fiest Meeting : 15th June, 1887. 



Sir James Hector in the chair. 



New Members. — Mr. James Clark Gavin, and Count F. de 

 Jouffroy d'Abbans. 



The Chairman, in opening the business, remarked that the chief and, 

 indeed, the only business which he had to perform was to introduce to them 

 the President-elect, Dr. Hutchinson. In vacating the chair he had to thank 

 the Society for the invariable kindness and consideration he had received 

 from the members, and he had merely to express the hope and belief that 

 the same kind consideration would be accorded to the President-elect. 



Dk. Hutchinson then assumed the chair, and read his inaugural address. 



Abstract. 

 Having congratulated the late President on the recent mark of esteem 

 which he had received at the hands of his Sovereign, the speaker remarked 

 that one of the greatest difficulties the colonists had to face was the general 

 delicacy and want of resisting power in the rising generation, as was dis- 

 played in the very general premature decay of the teeth, and by nerve disease, 

 and kindred disorders, which were caused by the crowding into towns, and 

 the consequent evil effect of this overcrowding. He argued that if a healthy, 

 vigorous race of colonists were to succeed the present generation, it could 

 only be effected by a race of " country dwellers," in whom a surplus vitality 

 might be stored "till it would be ready to burst forth upon the world." The 

 inevitable tendency of society was to congregate in towns, and hence a want 

 of vitality in the rising generation. He considered that, so far as the 

 Universities were concerned, it would be far better to make these more 

 teaching than merely examining bodies. He ventured to propose that the 

 present system of primary and secondary education should be handed over 

 to the New Zealand University, which should be made the one teaching 

 body of the Colony, the machinery of the Education Department and of all 

 the other public schools being transferred to it and placed under its charge. 

 The President, at considerable length, dwelt upon the advantages of incul- 

 cating in the youth of the Colony a correct idea of the anatomical structure 

 of the human frame, as being the best means of conducing to their own 

 health, and then a healthy race would follow them. A purely secular 

 education — " one that did not directly or indirectly lead the thoughts of 

 youth above material and mental needs" — he was not in favour of. The 

 speaker remarked that the aim of his address had been to draw a rapid 

 sketch of his ideal, toward which it should be the aim of the colonists to 

 attain. 



Exhibits. — The Director exhibited and described the following 

 specimens recently collected by members of the Geological 

 staff:— 



