Auckland Institute. 619 



from resignation, and five from nonpayment of subscription for more 

 than two consecutive years. The deceased gentleman is Mr. Camilla 

 Malfroy, so well known from his ingenious experiments on the mode 

 of controlling the action of the smaller geysers at Rotorua. 



Full particulars respecting the financial position of the Institute are 

 given in the balance-sheets appended to this report, but for the sake 

 of clearness it is advisable to give a brief summary here. The total 

 revenue, excluding the balance of £60 9s. Id. brought from last year, 

 has been £1,207 7s. 8d. The receipts for the previous year, which were 

 much below the average, were £877 13s. 3d., so that there is an 

 increase of £329 14s. 5d. This is mainly due to the enlarged receipts 

 from the Museum endowment — presently to be alluded to— and the pay- 

 ment of some arrears of interest which would, if paid when due, have 

 been included in last year's balance-sheet. Comparing the separate 

 items, it may be noted that the receipts from the invested funds of 

 the Costley bequest stand at £499 5s., as against £388 9s. 7d. for 

 1895-96 ; the Museum endowment has yielded £569 12s. 2d., the 

 amount for the previous year being £340 ; while the sum derived from 

 the members' subscriptions is almost the same as that credited in 

 last year's balance-sheet. The total expenditure has been £1,102 18s. 

 lid., leaving a credit balance of £164 17s. lOd. in the Bank of New 

 Zealand. The gratifying increase in the revenue has permitted the 

 Council to repay the balance of £200 owing to the Investment Account 

 on the purchase of the Maori-house ; and also to carry out some long- 

 needed improvements in the Museum. 



The resumption of gold-mining in the Cape Colville Peninsula 

 has resulted in the greater portion of the Waikanae Block, near 

 Cabbage Bay, being taken up under mining lease. The receipts from 

 this source have amounted to over £200, forming a very welcome 

 addition to the Society's funds. With this exception, there is little 

 to report concerning the endowments. Few sales have been effected ; 

 in fact, there appears to be little chance of the disposal of the re- 

 mainder of the endowment at satisfactory prices. From time to time 

 the Crown Lands Board have handed over the rents of those sections 

 which are leased ; and the interest on the invested funds of the endow- 

 ment has been regularly received. 



Ten meetings have been held during the year, at which twenty 

 papers were read and discussed. 



With the exception of Christmas Day, and a short period devoted to 

 cleaning and rearrangement, the Museum has been open to the public on 

 every day during the year. The attendance of visitors has been satis- 

 factory, and shows a considerable increase, so far as can be judged from 

 the data in the possession of the Curator. On Sunday afternoons the 

 visitors are regularly counted, the register kept by the attendant showing 

 that 12,388 persons entered the building on that day, or an average of 238 

 for each Sunday. This shows an increase of 2,234 on the number for 

 the previous year. On week-days the visitors can only be occasionally 

 counted ; but the daily average is estimated to be about 105. The ap- 

 proximate week-day attendance would consequently be 32,865, and tho 

 total for the whole year 45,253. The largest attendance recorded on any 

 one day was 413, on the 25th l\Iay (Queen's Birthday). 



For some time past the Council have been sensible that a further 

 enlargement of the Museum could not be long postponed. Ac present tlie 

 centre of the main hall is chiefly occupied by the collection of plaster 

 casts of Greek statues, presented by INIr. T. Russell, C.M.G. This collec- 

 tion, in many respects an admirable one, is altogether out of place in its 

 present situation, surrounded by stuffed birds and animals, and of neces- 

 sity arranged in such a manner that its use by art students is greatly 

 limited. Its presence gives an incongruous appearance to the ball, 



