NEW ZEALAND INSTITUTE. 



MINUTES OP MEETINaS. 



IiSTAUGUEAL MEETING, 4ith August, 1868. 

 The New Zealand Institute was opened by a conversazione at the Colonial 

 Museum on the evening of 4tli August, 1868, when many members of 

 various local societies for the promotion of Art and Science assembled to 

 listen to the Inaugural Address of His Excellency the Grovernor. 



In a few prefatory remarks His Excellency referred to the presence of 

 so many members of the legislature, while an important debate was in 

 progress in the House of Hepresentatives, as a proof that the attractions of 

 intellect and science could even triumph over the excitement of politics. 



His Excellency's address. (Vide post.) 



Mr. Eox, M.H.E,., rose at the conclusion of the address. He did so, he 

 said, with diffidence, and would much rather that some gentleman more 

 accustomed to academic and scientific subjects had been selected to perform 

 the pleasing .task which he had consented to discharge. He was glad, 

 although it took him somewhat by surprise, to behold such an assemblage as 

 he now saw filling that place. Such an assemblage for such a purpose 

 would have been impossible in the early days, though even then there was a 

 William Swainson, and other men of his stamp. Thei/ made attempts to do 

 something more than simply to colonize these islands ; but there was no 

 union for the prosecution of scientific pursuits. Science in those dark and 

 distant days had no voice, and the finer arts were a dead letter. Thus, 

 shortly after his return from Europe, he was gratified beyond measure to be 

 one of such an assemblage, presided over by His Excellency the Grovernor. 

 Grlad he was on returning from the old countries, and from travelling in 

 remote parts of Europe and Asia, where he had seen evidences of the rapid 

 strides which modern science and enterprise had made in some of the Old 

 World's formerly most benighted places, — where he had seen the telegraph 

 wires crossing wastes and deserts, the iron horse in his mighty strength, and 

 the Archimedean screw upon Old Nilus. Everywhere the mighty develop- 



