EVENING MEETINGS. XXXV 



moved, That the Association should ask the Government to print and 

 circulate his paper. 



The President, after remarking that many of the oysters mentioned 

 by Mr. Saville-Kent were named by Professor Hutton, called upon that 

 gentleman to speak on the subject. 



Professor Hutton said that New Zealand possessed in the Stewart 

 Island mud-oyster and the Auckland rock-oyster the best specimens of 

 Australasian bivalves. He said that New Zealand oysters had a better 

 flavour than those of Australia ; that, although artificial propagation was 

 the first essential step, it might be found profitable to spread young 

 oysters for the purpose of fattening in such places as the Sumner Estuary, 

 Lyttelton Harbour, or any suitable places where at loresent there are no 

 oysters. 



Mr. MoETON, Commissioner of Fisheries for Tasmania, said that on 

 many of the New Zealand oysters imported into Tasmania he had noticed 

 quantities of )'oung ones, and he thought steps ought to be taken to stop 

 this waste. Mr. Morton seconded the motion that Mr. Saville-Kent's 

 paper should be printed by Government. 



Mr. Kent (Auckland) gave some valuable information on oysters in 

 North Island waters, and gave an instance of Auckland rock-oysters being 

 transported by accident to a place on the east coast of Wellington Pro- 

 vincial District, and taking firm growth there. 



Mr. H. R. Webb, in alluding to the subject of cultivating oysters in 

 places away from their natural beds, said that at one time Messrs. Garrick 

 and Cowlishaw introduced oysters into some bay on Banks Peninsula, but, 

 although the oysters increased in numbers, the venture was not a financial 

 success. 



Mr. Thomson gave some valuable information on Stewart Island 

 oj'ster-fisheries, and the limits of the bed ; and said that the dredges used 

 in capturing the oysters were calculated to destroy them in large num- 

 bers. 



The Peesident congratulated the meeting on the interesting dis- 

 cussion raised by the reading of the paper, and, after describing a peculiar 

 and valuable specimen of oyster that once existed on Cape Farewell Spit 

 and at the mouth of Catlin's River, moved. That a vote of thanks be 

 transmitted to Mr. Saville-Kent and given to Professor Parker. 



After Professor Parker had referred to the advisability of a marine 

 laboratory being established in New Zealand, the meeting adjourned. 



Tuesday, 20th Jamiary, 1891. 



There was a very large attendance at a lecture given by Mr. G. F. 

 Tendall in the Provincial Council Chamber on "The History of Vocal 

 Music." (See page 574.) 



A vote of thanks was carried by acclamation to Mr. Tendall and the 

 choir, on the motion of Professor Laurie, seconded by Mr. A. Wilson, 

 who expressed regret at the want of adequate provision in New Zealand 

 for instruction in the science of music. 



Thursday, 22nd January, 1S91. 

 Spohr's oratorio, |'The Last Judgment," was given before the members 

 by the Cathedral choir in the evening, when a very large congregation as- 

 sembled in the building. The solos were taken by Masters R. T. Harper, 

 H. Andrews, and Bunz, and Messrs. H. Weir, A. Mcintosh, and A. Milk 



while Mr. Tendall presided at the organ. The production of the ojjafoS^ fi //^^"^ 

 was a thoroughly successful one. /v\V ^^ / 



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