Aicckland Institute. 39 



Dealiny with the cliimitu' rhiingt's, Aicluleiicon Walsh said that al'ti;r two or 

 lliiee fires had passed over an area of hind it left the soil very poor and scantily 

 protected with vegetation. It became easily heated by the sun, and then the air 

 was heated by radiation from the earth, giving rise to winds whi( h parched up 

 surrounding lands, prematurely I'ipened crops, and rendered other areas liable lo 

 be swept by lire. \Vhen the forests were near the sea, their (h'struclion left the 

 way open for sea-winds, which carried salt spray many miles inland, and killed 

 still more vegetation. In northern Taranaki and at Hokianga it had been found thai, 

 severe frosts, hitherto unknown, had followed deforestation, owing to the loss ol 

 protection from cold winds from the sea. Although in many districts every possible 

 acre was being cleared in order to allow for the grazing of dairy cattle, it would 

 have been better had a reasonable amount of bush been left standing as protection. 



As for topographical results, w'hen heavy rain fell on forest land most ui it 

 was held by the ti'ees and evaporated again. When the bush disappeared the 

 water began to flow on the surface, causing ei'osion and landslips. This erosion 

 gradually filled the water of the rivers with solid matter, which was deposited on 

 the bottom, raising the bed until the river overflowed, and destroyed wide tracts 

 of land by silting and by eating out other courses, and eventually caused the 

 formation of harbour bars. 



In many countries foresting work was carried out to a large extent, liut the 

 methods generally adopted were not at all applicable to the New Zealand bush. 

 It was impossible in thin New Zealand forests. Once this work were started, fire 

 must follow, and the bush be totally destroyed. And no amount of r(;afforestation 

 could make up for the damage which had already been done. 



Looking into the future, one could only see the damage already done being 

 greatly increased. Reafforestation was being carried on in a way by the Govern- 

 ment, but not at all in prt)portion to the area which had been wasted. There was 

 no hope that forests at present standing would remain intact. Land must be 

 found for settlers, and as long as there was a demand f(jr timber the sawmiller 

 would be found to attack the bush. Even the present Government reserves weie 

 not safe, and would not be until they were surrounded by stout barbed-wire fences, 

 for, once cattle and pigs got into the bush, fire was a natural consequence. Several 

 reserves have already been lost in this way. 



Settlei's in different parts should be made to keep certain aieas always under 

 timber. Thus they w^)uld have adequate protection for their remaining lands, 

 while at the sanu^ time they would find that they had no more profitable crop than 

 their timber-trees. 



Seventh MEETixr; : Jjfh October, 1910. 



Dr. R. Briffatilt, President, in the chair. 



Lecture. — The Rev. D. D. Scott delivered a lecture entitled " Huxley : 

 an Appreciation and a Criticism." 



The lecturer emphasized the human qualities of Professor Kuxley : he was 

 neither icy n(jr remote. With a towering intellectuality, he had a childlike and 

 loving personality, and a warm home-life. His early struggles no doubt toughened 

 him for his future work, and he lived thiough his trials to see the fruit of his 

 labours. Huxley's great services in support of the theory of evolutiim were dwelt 

 upon, and then the lecturer entered upon the critical side, pointing out certain 

 inconsistencies in his logic, and particularly in what may be called his schaol of 

 philosophy. The lecture concluded with a warm tribute to Huxley's rare inde- 

 pendence of character and transparent integrit3\ 



