43 



should be carefully observed and accurately noted. All these matters 

 are too commonly neglected, so that little is certainly known of the eflfect 

 of different soils, or of altitude even on our commonest plants, such, for 

 instance, as the native flax. 



Thus a wide field is open for investigation, to which may be added the 

 observationandrecordoftheprogressof introduced plants, insects, and bixxls. 

 Great changes are going on around us, but many take no notice of them, 

 owing to the fact that the extent and importance of this branch of study 

 is not sufficiently undei'stood or appi'eciated. To work up the natural 

 history of even a small well-defined district in a reliable manner, would 

 be to make a contribution of definite value to scientific knowledge. A 

 complete account of the plants, say of the Island of Wailieke, of its 

 shells, fluviatile and marine, of its insects, its birds and reptiles, if 

 reliable, would have a permanent and increasing value, arising from the 

 fact of the rapid modification which the flora and fauna of these islands 

 are now undergoing. So, too, of the Wade, Titirangi, and Waiuku 

 districts, and of many others. 



But there is no need to refer particularly to each of the many branches 

 of science open to those who are willing to devote attention to them. 

 I will content myself with iirging all who have the direction of the educa- 

 tion of our young people, to endeavour to procure for them the great 

 advantage of instruction in the elements of science. There is no reason 

 why our sons and daughters should be suflfered to gTOw u]d in ignorance of 

 the great truths which have been made known to the world by the labours 

 of the master minds of recent times. Faraday and Tyndall have shown 

 that even the highest mysteiies of nature may be made intelligible to a 

 class of attentive children, and the eagerness with which their lectures 

 have been listened to, shows plainly enough that such subjects, rightly 

 handled, may be made full of entertainment as well as of instruction. 

 It is deeply to be regretted that there is not at present, so far as I am 

 aware, a single class in Auckland for instruction in any branch of 

 science. Our lads and young men are now without the means of 

 satisfying any desire they may feel to acquire knowledge of this kind, 

 and, as a natural consequence, in many cases the precious hours that 

 might be occupied in intellectual pursuits, are frittered away in idleness, 

 or occupied in degrading pleasures. There is no reason why we should 

 be behind other places in these respects. Thei-e is nothing to hinder us 

 from pro^dding facilities for our children, such as are available almost 

 everywhere in the old country. This Institute of ours, if rightly 

 supported, could very soon be made the means of supplying all that is 



