2 INAUGUKAL ADDRESS. 



Seeing that I am addressing a Christcliurcli audience, 

 I hope I may be permitted, in the first place, to say a word 

 concerning one whose scientific services should, without 

 doubt, have obtained for him the position of first President 

 in New Zealand of the Australasian Association. We 

 naturally recall the name of Sir Julius von Haast on this 

 occasion, and mourn for the loss the colony has sustained 

 by the death of one who for thirty years occupied a most 

 prominent position. His early researches in the North 

 Island, in company with Von Hochstetter, were follow^ed 

 by the exploration of the remote districts on the west coast 

 of Nelson ; after which Canterbury secured his distin- 

 guished services, and enabled him to leave that monument 

 of his varied scientific knowledge, shrewd capacity, and 

 indefatigable industry, which is to be found in the Canter- 

 bury Museum. 



There are others of our fellow-colonists whose wide 

 range of experience would have peculiarly fitted them to 

 act as your President, and I am able to say that had our 

 veteran colonist and explorer. Sir George Grey, felt more 

 assured in health and strength it would have been your 

 pleasure this evening to listen to a flood of eloquence on 

 all scientific topics that relate to the future development 

 of Australasia. There is another name I feel must be 

 mentioned as one wdio should have been in this position 

 had his health permitted. I refer to the liev. William 

 Colenso, who is recognised as the greatest authority on the 

 folk-lore of the Maoris, on whom he was among the first 

 to confer a printed literature in their own language. His 

 long-continued Avork as a field naturalist, especially as a 

 botanist, is exceedingly interesting, seeing that it forms a 

 connecting link that has continued the early s.pirit of 

 natural-history research in New Zealand that commenced 

 wdtli Banks and Solander, and was continued by jNIenzies, 

 Lesson, the two Cunninghams, and Sir Joseph Hooker, 

 prior to the arrival of colonists. Thus we still have in my 

 esteemed friend Mr. Colenso an active veteran naturalist 

 of what we may call the old school of explorers. 



It is wonderful to reflect that little more than fiftv 



