Report. 471 
hitherto, by the Ven. Archdeacon Stock; but the Observatory has lost a 
valuable amateur assistant through the death of Mr. John Kebbell, who for 
many years past devoted a great deal of his time and unrivalled mechanical 
skill to its interests. 
A vote was obtained last session for the supply of a second rating clock 
and chronograph, and the necessary order has been sent to the Agent- 
General, with instructions to obtain it from the best maker in London. 
The time-ball at Wellington is dropped by the Observatory clock, and 
the same time is supplied for dropping the time-ball at Lyttelton ; but in 
neither case is the dropping-machine under the control of this department. 
It is very desirable that some uniform system of distributing correct time 
to the most important seaports should be organized, as inaccurate time- 
balls are apt to mislead ships’ captains, who are accustomed to seaports in 
other countries where extreme importance is attached to the accuracy of the 
time-ball service. 
LABORATORY. 
The number of analyses performed in the Colonial Laboratory during 
the past year is 235, which makes up the total number to 2401. 
These are subdivided as follows, the same classification being used as 
heretofore :— 
Coals and oils  ... Ta vice am nae E 12 
Rocks and minerals lx SR nak a etm 35 
Metals and ores ... e n m 52 
Examinations for silver Ee puli ee € as 88 
Waters .... m ad «c p ris at 15 
Miscellaneous 
Certain special processes ave bun pere in | different examinations 
which have been conducted during the past year, and a description of these 
will be found in the usual report, with the results obtained in the various 
samples to which they refer. 
. Allanalyses of interest or importance have been also reproduced in full, 
together with such notes as have been furnished to the contributors in 
reporting on the specimens submitted for examination. ] 
LIBRARY. 
Two hundred volumes have been added to the library since June, 1878. 
They consist chiefly of the publications of British and foreign scientific 
societies, received in exchange for the Transactions of the New Zealand 
Institute. 
The whole of the books have been gaik arranged, and a cata- 
logue made; but here, as in other parts of the Museum, the want of 
sufficient space leads to great inconvenience. 
