E. Dozson.—State of Applied Science in Canterbury. 129 
of fossils. The latter are of the same species as those found in similar beds 
in the Province of Canterbury, namely, a Pecten, a large smooth Terebratula 
(Waldheimia), and some large corals allied to Pelagia, which prove them to 
be of older tertiary age. These beds are overlaid by very fine limestones, 
semi-crystalline, and identical with similar beds lying in the same horizon in 
New Zealand. 
On the western side of the island the occurrence of lignite beds amongst 
these strata show that during the formation of these marine deposits 
oscillations of the ground took place, which favoured the growth of terres- 
trial plants, burying them afterwards below new marine deposits. 
Amongst the specimens collected is a very fine-grained limestone, closely 
resembling some coral-rag beds of Europe; also a specimen of brown-iron 
ore, and another of psilomelane. 
Thus clear evidence is offered us, that in an early part of the tertiary 
period volcanic action took place in this part of the Pacific Ocean; and 
although we meet, on the main island, some signs of the existence of old 
sedimentary rocks, there is no doubt that these volcanic eruptions gave birth 
to this archipelago. 
Ant. XX.—On the present State of Applied Science in the Canterbury 
Province. By Epwarp Dossoy, C.E., Provincial Engineer, and Vice- 
President of the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury. 
[Read at the Annual Meeting of the ee Institute of Canterbury, 5 5th Novem- 
Ovr esteemed president, Dr. Haast, es more than usually occupied at 
present in the preparation of maps and drawings for the Paris Exhibition, I 
have been requested to address you in his place this evening, and I have 
thought that it would be most in accordance with your wishes that the subject 
of my address should be connected with the public works of Canterbury, 
to which so many years of my life have been devoted. I propose, therefore, 
to occupy your time, for a short half-hour, with a brief review of the pro- 
gress of applied science in the Canterbury Province ; and in doing so, my 
object will not be so much to call for gratulation in respect of what has 
been already successfully accomplished, as to point out how much yet 
remains to be done, and to direct the attention of the members of the 
Institute to subjects of inquiry in which they may engage with equal 
interest to themselves and advantage to the colony in which we have fixed 
our homes. 
TELEGRAPHIC Communication.—Let me first call your attention to the 
present state of telegraphic communication throughout New Zealand. 
17 
