Auckland Institute. 399 
possibility. And, feeling in itself, the power and necessity of truth, the 
scientific mind accepts no authority and subscribes to no faith which it cannot 
if necessary test and verify ; whilst, on the other hand, it asks no acceptance 
forits own conclusions without their being thoroughly tested, both as to the 
reality of the faets on which they are based and the legitimacy of the conclu- 
sions themselves. What the ultimate conclusions may be we know not, and 
fear not, confident in this—that if true scientific processes be employed to test 
them, they must be either true, or the nearest approach to truth that we 
 mortals can hope to attain to. 
I thank you for your patience, and bespeak your indulgence for the hurried 
thoughts I have this evening placed before you. 
1. “On the Geological Structure of the Thames Gold Fields," by Captain 
F. W. Hutton, F.G.S. (Transactions, p. 272.) 
9. The following Report on, and Analysis of, the Water with which it is 
| proposed to supply Shortland and Grahamstown, forwarded by Dr. Hector 
from the Colonial Laboratory, was communicated by His Honour the 
Superintendent :— 
` 97th May, 1873.—Character of Water.—Clear, tasteless; а slight 
sediment had formed, the character of which was not examined, The water, 
Separated from this and analyzed, gave the following results, calculated upon a 
gallon of it : 
* Chlorine aes ne e ae 1551 
“ Sulphuric acid — ... io ise ves 854 
* Carbonic acid... ony m y.i 1:783 
* Magnesia a gs 4 48 aa 
* Lime RE xu ate e з 
* Soda and potash ... i ce ave 2:112 
* Silica dea бз. oina ы 2:857 
10-290 
* Organic matter—the average of two determinations—2‘1 grains per gallon. 
« A mount of readily oxidizable matters per gallon, :384 grains. 
“The bottles enclosing samples being closed with corks, instead of glass, as 
should always be done, the results have not that degree of value they would 
otherwise have. 
“The quantity of readily oxidizable organic 
high, as here given, owing to the presence of a little sulphuretted hydrogen in 
the water tested, from the cork having deoxidized a portion of the sulphuric 
acid present in the water, and for this reason the quantity of this acid, as - 
stated in results, will be less than it really is. 
« However, subject to these errors, the water proves to be of fair quality, 
but inferior to some waters for brewing purposes, owing to à deficiency of lime 
salts.” 
matter is probably a little too 
