Wellington Philosophical Society. 451 
Mr. Mantell and Mr. R. Pharazyn both remembered the occurrence, and 
spoke of the wave being about the height represented, and as having done 
much injury along the east coast. 
2. “On the Island of Rapa,” by Captain Vine Hall. (Transactions, 
p. 75.) : 
3. " On New Zealand Mean Time," by James Hector, M.D., F.R.S. 
The author explained that it had been decided by the Legislature to 
establish by statute a mean time for the whole colony. This resolution had 
so many advantages that it was needless to discuss them; the only question 
to be decided was, what time should be used. The time for the colony at 
large may be calculated from any of the following meridians :— 
Firstly, New Zealand, including the small islands which form its 
dependencies, lies between the meridians 
178° 36' 5" east of Greenwich, 
166° 26' 80"  , d 
The average meridian is therefore 
172? 31' 17:5" east. 
Secondly, the meridian which has an equal area of land lying to the 
east and west of it, within New Zealand, is 
172° 48' 57" east. 
Thirdly, the following is the approximate longitude of the various ports 
in the colony to which telegraphic communication exists or is in contempla- 
tion, and which at the same time form centres of districts, throughout 
Which uniform time might be enforced without practical inconvenience. 
It is preferable that the ports should be taken instead of the inland 
towns, when they do not happen to be in the same longitude, as in the case 
of Lyttelton and Christchurch, as minute accuracy of time is only of 
practical importance to mariners; and as, moreover, we have in New Zealand 
only chronometric differences of longitude as yet determined, and these only 
for the seaports. 
Auckland ... Re ES i 174 40 10 
Napier... » t w^ MIB 90. I0 
New Plymouth ... e .. 174? 4' 58” 
Wellington "i ik .. 174? 47' 63" 
Nelson ut ote te 40 10 58" 
Picton P 174^ 17 80" 
Westport .. 171? 45' 00" 
Lyttelton ... 172? 44° 17" 
Port Chalmers 170? 39' 10" 
E -— o desear 
The average meridian of these places is 
173° 14' 12$", 
