AUCKLAND INSTITUTE. 
———— 
First MzrrING (held in the Provincial Museum). 4¢h May, 1868. 
F. Whitaker, President, in the chair. 
The following contributions were laid upon the table:— A series of 
photographs of the Atlantic cable machinery—Mr. J. T. Mackelvie. A 
number of South Sea Island shells—Mr. Vileoeq, of Russell. Part of a por- ` 
poise’s head—Mr. Mackenzie, of Mongonui. Maori stone axes—Mr. Bell, of 
Whangaroa; also, by the same gentleman, a piece of the copper of the ship 
‘ Boyd,” the crew of which were massacred and eaten there; a piece of 
manganese ore from Tikiora, Bay of Islands; quartz rock from near Spirits 
Bay. There was also a specimen of clay which had been burned by a 
gentleman at the Tamaki, and which was believed to be a near approach to 
china clay. 
Mr. Gillies, the Honorary Secretary, read a note that had been left at 
the Museum, stating that a number of miners from the Thames had visited 
the collection, and had been much interested and gratified at examining the 
minerals there. Mr. Gillies stated that the Council of the Association, 
immediately upon being formed, wrote to England for various scientific 
publications, and had received the first of them by last mail. They were 
then on the table, and would be lent out to be read by members at the close 
of the meeting. Any not taken out would lie at his office. He had also to 
mention that they had received a number of New Zealand birds from the 
south, which illustrated the advantage of being connected with the New 
Zealand Institute. 
The President then read the following 
INAUGURAL ADDRESS, 
GENTLEMEN,— We are met this evening, for the first time, as the mem- 
bers of an Institute, having for its object the promotion of art, science, and 
literature. We have laid the foundation of a society embracing a very wide 
field of operations, but as yet we have performed only a small portion of 
what we have undertaken, and the foundation will be useless if we fail sue- 
— to prosecute the work. 
s Ra is s obvious that we have taken upon ourselyes no light task, if we 
dis efficient FOTE even of the duties which devolve a us. 
