82 Pioeee(]lnfjs. 



WELLINGTON PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY 



Sixth (Axnual (teneral) Meeting : oth October, 1910. 



Mr. A. Hamilton, Presirlent. in the chair. 



The annual uencral meeting was hehl in tlie Dominion Musi'um; .Mr. 

 A. Hamilton. President, was in the chair, ami al)out fortv meml)ers and 

 friends AVere present. 



Xetr Memhrr.<.—MY. H. K. T(.lle\ , Mr. J. Thomson, B.E., .M.Inst.C.E., 

 -Mr. R. W. Holmes, M.Inst.C.E., Mr. H. Sladden. Miss J. A. Wilson, 

 Rev. Dr. Kennedy, F.R.A.S., .Mr. D. McKcnzie, Mr. H. Orain. .M.A.. 

 LL.B., Mr. V. .M'. IJenner, M.A., .Mr. P. Levi, M.A., Dr. J. .M . .Mason, 

 Mr. H. H. To)n))s, .Mr. J. B. Hol)ertson. .Mr. J. .Mackenzie. 



The Covmcirs report for tliu session, and a statement of the receipts 

 and expenditure, were read, and, on the motion of Mr. Thomas King, 

 seconded bv Mr. P. (t. Morgan. l)oth were duly adopted. The report 

 was as follows : — 



Annual Report. 



The session opened on the 4th May with an inaugural address hy the Piesident, 

 -Mr. A. Hamilton, in which he refoi'ved to the work done in opening' up the Tara- 

 rnas for investigation liy naturalists, and luged the establishment of a mountain 

 observatory on Mount Hector. 



])uring the session no less than twenty-nine papers liav<' been read, and a niun- 

 ber of interesting e.xhibits have lieen laid on the table. 



In addition to tlie si.x ordinary meetings three special meetings ha\c bfrn lield. 

 At the first one Professor Bickerton, of Chiistehurch, deli\ered a lecture on the 

 astronomical importance of the the(<ry of the third body* ; at the second one Mr. 

 T. Buckley. Chief Electrician of the Telegraph Department, delivered a lecture on 

 wireless telegraphy, illustrated by a numbei' of experiments : w hile the thiid spec'ial 

 meeting was held to constitute the Astronomical Section. 



A feature of tln' session has lieen the establishment of tlie .Xstiouomical Section 

 of the society, formed for the promotion of the study of astronomical sulijects 

 oenerally and the estalilishnient of an observatory in oi' about ^\^dlington. 



The section has already held one meeting, when Dr. Kennedy. P.P..\.S., de- 

 livered a lectiu'e on astronomy, illustrated by a series of lantern-slides, in the 

 Concert Chamber of the To\\n Hall, the use of \\liich was kindly grantefl by the 

 City Council. 



The ioint-libraiy scheme lias lieen advancerl another step by the Council allow- 

 ing Victoria C'ollege students and other intei'ested persons tin- privilege of consult- 

 ing books in the library under suitable regulations. 



Captain Scott's expedition to the Antarctic : As this expedition will finnish 

 an excellent opportunity of obtaining tidal records at the Antarctic, the Council 

 waited on the .Minister of Marine and proposed that the Government should autho- 

 rize the society to expend a sum not exceeding £20 on purchasing an automatic 

 tide-"auge to be placed in Captain Scott's caie. The suggested gauge would be 

 similar to. though smaller than, the AVellington tide-gauge. The ob.servations 

 would be of great use to the recently estalrlished Tidal Survey of the Dominion. 

 The Minister, while recognizing the great value of these observations, considered 

 it highly probable that Captain Scott is already provided with a suitable tide-gauge, 

 but if lie is not so equipped, the rtovernment will be prepared to supply the neces- 

 sary instrument if Captain Scott will undertake the work and furnish the Ciovern- 

 ment with a copy of his observations. 



* At a subscquont lUoetiiiK of thft Council the sum of £10 was voted to the Bickerton Fund for the 

 puri)ose of cnablinK the Piofessor'.s astrononiieal theory to be put before the Astronomical Sooit^ties for 

 eriticism. The Oomieil, however, do not desire to express any opinion on the tlinny, luit wisli him 

 ■every success in liis efforts to o!)tain a full hearing for it. 



