425 



Paper read : — 



" On the Tendency of Modern English Poetry," by W. C. Purnell. 



Dr. Haast read letters from Mr. TWnsend, of Akaroa, and Captain Gibson, Harbour 

 Master at Lyttelton, on the subject of the tidal disturbances expected to occur on October 

 5th. The former stated that on the day in question the water in Akaroa Harbour was 

 lower than it had been since the great earthquake wave of August, 1868 ; that six tides 

 in succession were unusually low ; and suggested that the sun and moon being both on 

 the equator at the time, an accumulation of waters would take place there, and conse- 

 quently a lowering of the level in this part of the world. Captain Gibson stated that he 

 had taken measures for ascertaining the precise extent of any tidal disturbances which 

 might occur at Lyttelton, but nothing unusual happened. 



A short discussion followed on the reading of the letters. 



OTAGO INSTITUTE. 



SESSION OE 18G9. 



PROCEEDINGS 



First Meeting. July 20, 1869. 

 Mr. Justice Ward in the chair. 



A Constitution and Rules for the Institute were adopted. 



Office-bearers for the year ending 30th June, 1870, were elected, viz. : — President — His 

 Honor Mr. Justice Ward ; Vice Presidents — Alfred Eccles, F. R C. S. E. , Arthur Beverley ; 

 Council — L. O'Beal, Captain Eraser, P. Gillies, S. Hawthorne, E.ev. D. M. Stuart, 

 J. Smith, J. T. Thomson ; Honorary Treasurer — W. D. Murison : Honorary Secretary — 

 J. S. Webb. 



Second Meeting. August 24, 1869. 

 Mr. Justice Ward, President, in the chair. 

 The Chairman, as President of the Institute, delivered the following 



INAUGURAL ADDRESS. 



I desire to render all suitable acknowledgments for the honour you have done me, in 

 electing me the first President of the Otago Institute : — an honour most unwillingly 

 accepted, knowing as I do how many of those present are far more competent than I, to 

 fill so onerous a post, and have far more leisure to devote to its duties. But I fully admit 

 that every community has a right to call on those who hold high office in it, to take their 

 share in siich a movement as the present, and however inefficient my services may be 

 they will at least be zealously given. I need scarcely say, also, that I am well aware, 

 that in this instance, as in many others, the honour is rendered rather to the office than 

 to him who happens for the present to fill it. 



We have met to-night to inaugurate a Society for the encouragement of Art, Science, 

 Literature, and Philosophy. It would be difficult to lay wider foundations ; and it is 

 encouraging to reflect that, although Otago has not taken the lead in the formation of an 

 Institute, such as the present, yet, in other respects, she may fairly claim precedence. 

 No other province has attempted what Otago performed in 1865, at the Intercolonial 

 Exhibition. Scarcely an effort has been made elsewhere to carry out such a Fine Arts 

 Exhibition, as that which took place this year at Dunedin, none have been equally 

 successful. With such successes in the past we may well look forward with confidence to 

 the future. In so young a colony as ours, it is in the power of every man of average 

 ability to leave behind him some ' ' footprints on the sands of time, " pointing in the 

 onward direction ; and if the inhabitants of Dunedin onty continue to display, in the 

 cultivation of Arts and Science, one tithe of the energy that has hitherto distinguished 

 them in mercantile and professional pursuits, we need have no fear of our ultimate 

 success. 



