170 THE MAGNETIC SURVEY OF NEW ZEALAND. 
» “That the committee fully recognise the immense importance 
of having a magnetic survey of the colony of New Zealand made, 
and that it should be commenced at as early a date as possible, 
taking into account the very favourable position New Zealand 
occupies for such a purpose.” 
This resolution of the committee of the Shipmasters’ Associa- 
“tion of New Zealand was subsequently brought, together with 
your own resolution, before the notice of the Canterbury Cham- 
ber of Commerce, who carried a resolution indorsing the resolu- 
tion of the committee of the Shipmasters’ Association, and who 
forwarded their indorsement to the other Chambers of Commerce 
throughout New Zealand and to the Government. 
Your committee were also fortunate in securing the cordial co- 
operation of the Hon. C. C. Bowen, M.L.C. Mr. Bowen brought 
the matter, together with the allied subject of antarctic ex- 
ploration, before the notice of the Legislative Council of New 
Zealand, and induced that body to carry a resolution urging the 
New Zealand Government to contribute towards the expenses 
of the proposed National Antarctic Expedition, and to carry out 
a magnetic survey of the colony. 
Your committee laid these various resolutions before the 
Government, who at once agreed to place a sum of money upon 
the estimates for the purpose of carrying out your resolution, 
and the New Zealand*Parliament passed a vote of £500. This 
sum has again been voted, and there is every reason to hope 
that it will be of a permanent character. 
Mr. S. Percy Smith, the Surveyor-General of the Colony, 
under whom the expenditure of this money has been placed, and 
who has given the committee much assistance, has since been in 
correspondence with Dr. Chree, and the order for the magneto- 
graphs is now in Dr. Chree’s hands. Professor Rucker and Dr. 
Chree have been asked to supervise their construction. 
No order has yet been sent home for the absolute instruments, 
as the Kew committee very generously sent out on loan a set 
of these, and it was thought that these would suffice for the 
immediate present, and that the cost of absolute instruments 
for: New Zealand might be incurred a little later. 
It.is anticipated “that the magnetographs will be fixed in a 
suitable position during the course of the present year (1900), 
so that they may be of service to the proposed National Ant- 
arctic Expedition, which is shortly to set out, and which 
may possibly make one of the New Zealand ports (Lyttelton) 
its headquarters. 
In the meantime the absolute instruments lent by the Kew 
Observatory Committee are being used in New Zealand, and 
observations are being taken there with a threefold object— 
(1) to make a suitable choice of a site for a fixed Observatory, 
(2) to establish groups of stations at the principal towns, from 
