421 



meeting, to choose a member to take part in the election of Governors of the New Zealand 

 Institute, in accordance with the provisions of the New Zealand Institute Act. 



On the motion of Mr. Fereday, it was resolved, — "That the President (Dr. Haast) 

 be appointed to vote in the election of Governors of the New Zealand Institute. " 



On the motion of Mr. Nottidge, it was resolved, — " That the Honorary Secretary be 

 recpiested to write to Dr. Hector, to ascertain whether any, and if any, what provision 

 has been made to defray the expenses of the members appointed to vote for Governors of 

 the New Zealand Institute, and also for the expenses of Governors so appointed." 



Dr. J. Haast, F. R. S. , exhibited a specimen of the Euplectella speclosa, a sponge, 

 sometimes called Venus's Flower Basket, which had been obtained for the Museum from 

 Manilla. 



Paper read : — 



"On a proposal to divert the Stream of the Avon to a new chamiel along the North 

 Town Belt, and to make the present river-bed a main drain for the town, occasionally 

 flushed from a sluice," by J. S. Turnbull, M.D. 



A discussion ensued on the practicability of this scheme, and of forming a second 

 chamiel for the storm waters along the North Belt, and drams on the two sides of the 

 river flushed by its waters. 



The Rev. C. Fraser drew attention to the prediction of Lieutenant Saxby, respecting 

 certain remarkable effects likely to be produced upon the tides in consequence of the 

 peculiar relative positions of the sun, moon, and earth. Mr. Fraser expressed his opinion 

 that there was no ordinary conjunction of these bodies which could have an effect upon 

 the tides, as much greater than that produced at the spring tides as those spring tides 

 exceeded the ordinary dady tides. 



ADDRESS, 



Delivered October 8th, being the anniversary of Captain Cook's first landing in New 

 Zealand, by Julius Haast, Ph.D., F.R.S., President. 



When, seven years ago, I had the honour, as first President of this Institution, to 

 address you at your first anniversary dinner, I offered you a short resume of the scientific 

 researches and results obtained in New Zealand since the time when the colony was 

 formed. An attempt to do so to-day for the past seven years would be a far greater, but 

 also still more gratifying task, owing to the wonderful advancement New Zealand has 

 made during that time in intellectual pursuits, and their results — a matter of great and 

 sincere congratulation to the members of this Society, and to the colony at large. 



When, in 1882, the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury was called into existence, 

 there was no other Society in New Zealand which had the ambition to aspire to such high 

 aims as we did, and althoiigh we faded in many respects to carry out our programme, we 

 may at least safely claim the merit of having formed a depository for scientific researches 

 in Canterbury, which did not at that time exist in any other part of New Zealand. It is 

 true there was an older Society, with similar aims to ours, in Wellington : but for many 

 years the members had not met, and, in consecpience, some of them had their papers read 

 before you. But how different is it to-day ? Not only have scientific societies been 

 created throughout the colony, but they have likewise found a centre in the New Zealand 

 Institute in Wellington, the well-directed efforts of which wdl result in great advantages, 

 both in an intellectual and material point of view, to the inhabitants of the land of our 

 adoption. 



The first volume of the ' ' Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute, " 

 embodying the labours of all the affiliated societies, which is in our hands, gives palpable 

 proof both of the value of that body, even in the first year of its existence, and of the 

 marked attention which has been paid to scientific matters, even amidst the absorbing 

 occupations incidental to founding a colony. And from year to year the value of the 

 Institute will be enhanced by its evoking in many quarters scientific research, often of 

 great utility in promoting the advancement of the colony, which otherwise would have 

 lain dormant, either from the want of example and encouragement, or of a proper organ 

 for publication. Whatever may be the political tenets of those who are friends of 

 science, literature, and art, in New Zealand, in one thing I am sure they will agree with 

 me — that in any circumstances a centre for the maintenance of intellectual life amongst 

 the inhabitants of New Zealand is of incalculable importance to us all, and that the 

 creation of a depository where the results, whether small or great, of all labourers in the 

 domain of the mind, can be collected and published, is an important step towards the 

 advancement of this colony to that position which it deserves to occupy. These labours, 

 after becoming at once accessible to the present inhabitants, wdl be preserved for coming 

 generations, forming, as it were, the foundation stone of future research. 



Viewed, however, from another point of view, the encouragement of intellectual, and 

 in this instance I may say, physical research, will be of the highest benefit to the colony, 



