d 



xxxvi President's Address 



most part in reply to certain statements contained in a former 

 paper by a member who had spoken of the performance of 

 the telescope most unfavourably. Mr. Le Sueur showed that 

 the conclusions of the writer were arrived at upon insufficient 

 knowledge, and were, in fact, erroneous. 



At the August meeting, Mr. Walker read a paper on 

 " Street Odours," in which he endeavoured to prove that the 

 foul odours emanating from street channels and gutters 

 were not noxious in themselves, contending that more 

 mischief was done to health by want of ventilation in 

 dwelling houses than by the foul smells which frequently 

 pervade populous and ill-drained localities. 



At the October meeting, Mr. Walker read a paper on the 

 " Ventilation of Ships," the principle proposed for adoption 

 being the leading of galvanised iron tubes of large diameter, 

 with full collecting apertures, under the decks, and 

 terminating in the funnels of the galley fires. 



In November, a paper contributed by Mons. Carandel was 

 read. It described a scheme for the improvement of the 

 river banks and wharfage, in the construction of which a 

 peculiar kind of beton, made from the excavated material, 

 was to be used instead of stone or wood. Mr. Rawlinson 

 also gave an oral account of some of the extinct volcanoes of 

 the Western District he had visited. 



At the December meeting, Mr. Christy read a paper 

 entitled " The Useful Woods of the Colony," in which he 

 dealt with the durability of our native timbers and the 

 adaptability^ of them for various purposes. He also 

 enumerated many timber trees not indigenous which were 

 fitted by their usefulness, hardiness, and quick growth for 

 planting in the colony. At the same meeting I also read a 

 short paper on " The Late Exceptional Season and Frequency 

 of Auroras." The great number of auroral displays, coupled 

 with unusual weather, as well as with the remarkable 



