446 Proceedings. 
He stated that the three distinguishing marks of a New Zealand chief were a 
mere poanamu, a dog-skin mat, and a house like this. It was only chiefs, 
men who were well skilled in the art of carving, who owned such buildings. 
` On great occasions, the chiefs only were admitted. 
` In reply to some questions put to him, Tareha said that it took the tribe 
about five years to prepare the carved posts. Each figure had something 
distinctive about it, but he would have to examine closely before he could 
say who was represented by each. The tools formerly used in the construc- 
tion of such buildings were made of bone, and were of very ancient origin, 
having been brought from the land originally inhabited by the Maori; in 
later times hard stone was used instead. All those who came first in the 
Tunetewa canoe were well skilled in carving; this was one of the great works 
of their descendants. The name of the man who inyented painting was 
Tuaneko. The ancient god of carving was Taukaruo. 
A general vote of thanks was awarded to Tareha by the meeting at the 
conclusion of his address, in acknowledging which, Tareha said he did not 
think he could undertake to give a history of all the persons represented by 
the figures, on which much dependence could be placed. He doubted much 
whether he was sufficiently well acquainted with the subject to do so. 
4. “A preliminary Notice on the recently experienced Earthquakes and 
Tidal Phenomena," by J. Hector, M.D., F.R.S. (Transactions, p. 35.) 
In answer to Mr. Pharazyn, Dr. Hector said it was not merely the height 
of the wave that led him to believe the centre of disturbance to have been at 
a distance. The intervals between the waves were equally long in the case 
of the earthquake at Japan, in 1853, which he had cited in the course of his 
remarks, but yet their effect was only detected by the use of instruments of 
great delicacy ; whereas the recent waves on this coast had been obvious to 
the most casual observer. The only remaining conclusion, if they did not 
originate at a distance, was, that they originated in a series of shocks at 
elose intervals; but this did not explain the other phenomena. 
Dr. Hector then drew the attention of the meeting to some very inex- 
pensive instruments for showing the vibration of the earth, both lateral and 
perpendieular, which were on the table. 
5. A Process for desilvering Gold, like that obtained at the Thames 
diggings, was next described in a paper by Mr. Skey. (Transactions, p. 47.) 
. After some remarks from Mr. Crawford, Dr. Hector observed that the 
importance of this new method was very great, when it was remembered 
um that there was a proportion of about 35 per cent. of silver in the gold found 
nc that eripi E matter of great importanee with bankers and other 
of gold, | a CE E 
