New Zealand InstikUe. 52T 



geological science in New Zealand, and to be vested in and 

 controlled by the Board of Governors of tlie New Zealand Insti- 

 tute. A committee consisting of Drs. Chiltbn and Cockayne 

 and Messrs. Speight and Laing, of Christchurch, was set up to- 

 complete air Dgentents for the establishment of the fund, and 

 to report with suggestions for dealing with the fund at the next 

 anmial meeting of the Institute. 



Manual of Mollusca. — A letter was received at the last 

 annual meeting from Mr. Henry Suter, of Auckland, in re pre- 

 paring a work on the New Zealand Mollusca. A resolution wa& 

 passed requesting the Goveriunent to consider favourably the 

 desirability of issuing a new manual of New Zealand Molhisca.^ 

 I am glad to state that the Government has decided to publish 

 a work on this subject, and has appointed Mr. H. Suter editor. 



Benjamin Franklin Celebrations. — The two-hundredth cele- 

 bration of the birth of Benjamin Franklin was celebrated at 

 Philadelphia in April, 1906. Professor E. Rutherford, an 

 honorary member of the Institute, represented the New Zea- 

 land Institute on that occasion. 



Library. — During the year a great deal of work has been 

 done in the library. The books have been catalogued, and a 

 number of serials has been bound at the Government Printing- 

 Office. The librarian will present a separate report. 



Carter Bequest. — The amount standing to the credit of this 

 fund on the 31st December, 1906, was £2,504 6s. 3d. In addi- 

 tion there is a quantity of scrip in the New Zealand Loan and 

 Mercantile Company at face value. The money is invested hy 

 the Public Trustee, and is earning interest at the rate of 4 per 

 centum per annum. This fund represents a bequest by the 

 late C. R. Carter to the New Zealand Institute for the purpose 

 of establishing an Astronomical Observatory. This has been, 

 accumulating, and on the 31st December last was as stated 

 above. 



Time-ball Observatory. — The Board of Governors deeply 

 regret that it was found necessary to remove the Time-ball 

 Observatory from the site it had occupied for forty years, the- 

 position of which had been laboriously determined and verified 

 by various observers. The paper now being published in the 

 Transactions by Dr. Otto Klotz of Canada bears watness to the 

 value and accuracy of the old position from which the time was 

 determined for colonial and maritime purposes. 



Balance-sheet. — Herewith is presented the balance-sheet for 

 the year just ended. From this it will be seen that the credit 

 balance amounts to £344 14s. 8d. 



James Hector, President. 



Wellington, 31st January, 1907. 



