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Sixth Meeting. October 18, 18G9. 

 T. B. Gillies, President, in the chair. 



The names of the following new members were announced: — Dr. Nisbett, and Mr. 

 J. H. Upton. 



Mr. Gillies said the first business they were called on to transact was the election of 

 one of the members to vote for the governors of the New Zealand Institute : when the 

 affiliated societies numbered only three, each elected a governor ; but when they exceeded 

 that number, each must nominate one of its own body. 



Mr. Wbitaker proposed ' ' That the President be nominated to vote on behalf of the 

 affiliated society, for a governor of the New Zealand Institute." Major Heaphy seconded 

 the motion, which was unanimously agreed to. 



A list of donations to the Institute during the last month, was read by the Secretary, 

 among which was, a magnificent specimen of auriferous quartz, from the claim of the Long 

 Drive Company ; also, very curious specimens of crystallised auriferous quartz, from the 

 claim of the Una Company — these were a blue casing, with white crystals, the gold being 

 scattered upon it bke spangles. Also, specimens of auriferous quartz from the gold mines 

 of Hungary and Transylvania. 



Captain Hutton said the specimens exhibited had been sent to him by Dr. Hector, 

 who, he believed, had received them from Dr. Haast. They corresponded very nearly 

 with the auriferous rock of the Thames, except that there was rather more silica in the 

 European specimens. Although there might be more valuable minerals in a specimen 

 from one place, more than was to be found in a specimen taken from a different place, yet 

 that did not alter the description under which the stone might be classed. There was more 

 lead and silver found with gold in the Hungarian mines than was found here, so much 

 that the silver mines had become more valuable than those which produced gold. The 

 stone exhibited was described as volcanic tufa, by the Imperial Survey of Austria. He 

 believed there was a good deal of controversy in reference to the subject, but he thought 

 the Survey Department of the Austrian Government had much better means of knowing, 

 and were more likely to be correct, than private individuals. 



Papers read : — ■ 



(1.) "On the Discovery of Isoetes, and other genera of Bkizocarpse, new to the Flora 

 of New Zealand," by T. Kirk. (See ante, p. 107.) 



(2.) "On Epacris purpurascens," by T. Kirk, who exhibited several specimens of 

 this plant, which had been first observed by Dr. Sinclair, in the neighbourhood of 

 Papakura, to which locality it appeared to be confined. (See ante, p. 107.) 



(3.) "On the Structure of the Leaf of Phormium ten-ax," by Captain Hutton, F.G. S. 

 (See ante, p. 111.) 



(4.) " On the New Zealand Flax (Phormium tenax)," by Major Heaphy, V.C. (See 

 ante, p. 116.) 



Archdeacon Williams, Captain Hutton, Captain Heale, and Major Heaphy, V.C, 

 took part in the discussion which followed the reading of these papers. 



The President urged that more papers such as that by Captain Hutton were much 

 wanted. At present, there seemed to be no agreement as to even the names by which the 

 different varieties of flax were known to the natives. 



Captain Hutton said that, whatever kind might be chosen for cultivation, whether 

 " tihore" or some other, years must pass before it could be of commercial importance. 

 The common flax would have to be depended on for some time to come. The "tihore" 

 was so rare at present, that unless a very much higher price than ordinary could be 

 obtained for its fibre, it would not pay anybody to deal with that plant by itself. Was 

 "tihore " ever found wild ? 



Major Heaphy, V.C, said that he had found it in parts of the island which had not 

 been inhabited or cultivated for many generations. It was to be found in one part of the 

 Domain, on the left from Mechanics' Bay, but he had found at the roots of the plants 

 the shells of edible fishes, showing that the natives had been there. 



Captain Heale said that he believed it would be found that very much which was 

 known as to flax had been forgotten. In 1841, there was at Paigeley, in Staffordshire, a 

 factory specially for the manufacture of canvas, etc. , from New Zealand flax. It happened 

 thar he became possessed of £100 worth of that canvas ; and a schooner which he had 

 was fitted with a complete set of sails out of that canvas. He was not sure that he did 

 not still possess, in England, some cambric handkerchiefs, made of flax ; and in France, 

 flax was at that time much used for covering the wood of tassels, because the fibre took 

 dye to perfection, and, at a short distance, when so used, could not be distinguished 

 from silk. 



The Secretary thought it doubtful whether, for commercial purposes, the fibre of any 

 particular variety of flax would be found to have a decided superiority over that of the 

 common variety. 



Specimens of the principal varieties of flax were exhibited by Captain Hutton. 



