568 Proceedings. 



A short discussion took place in -wliich Dr. W. L. Buller took part. 



3. " Manibus Parkinsonibus Sacrum — A brief Memoir of tlie First Artist 

 who visited Ncav Zealand ; together with several little-known Items of 

 Interest extracted from his Journal," by W. Colenso, F.L.S. (Transactions, 

 p. 108.) 



A cordial vote of thanks was passed and ordered to be recorded to the Hon. Secretary 

 for his papers. 



Second Meeting. 10th September, 1877. 



There being only a few members present, owing to the inclemency of the weather, 

 no papers were read. 



Third Meeting. 8ih October, 1877. 



H. E. Holder in the chair. 



The President, the Hon. J. D. Ormond, M.H.E., was chosen to vote in the election 

 of the Board of Governors for the ensuing year, in accordance with clause 7 of the " New 

 Zealand Institute Act." 



1. " Notes, chiefly historical; on the ancient Dog of the New 

 Zealanders," by W. Colenso, F.L.S. {Transactions, p. 135.) 



The thanks of the meeting were unanimously accorded to the Hon. Secretary for his 

 paper. 



2. "On two indigenous Productions — Manganese and Zostera marina — 

 which might be made fair Articles of Export," by J. A. Smith. 



I beg to make a few remarks with regard to two exports fi-om New Zealand which 

 will repay the shipper. 



The first is manganese, a mineral. It is found in France, Hungary, Brazil, Corn- 

 wall, and Devon, also in the North Island of New Zealand. A mine is now open at the 

 Bay of Islands, New Zealand, with, I believe, success. The specimen produced is from 

 that mine. It has been assayed by Mr. Tunny, and found to contain from 80 to 84 per 

 cent of pure manganese. As to colour, it is found of a dark steel-grey, bluish, or iron- 

 black. It is used for producing oxygen, chlorine, and chloride of lime, removing the 

 brown and green tints in glass, in painting glass and enamel work, and for glazing and 

 colouring pottery. In 1872, when in England, I visited the extensive Hebburn chemical 

 works at Gateshead, on the Tyne, the property of Messrs Charles Tennant and Co. 

 They occupy about 250 acres of land, of which about 13 acres are occupied by sulphuric 

 acid chambers, which will give some idea of its vast extent. This is a branch establish- 

 ment of the well-known St. EoUox chemical works in Glasgow belonging to the same 

 firm. The principal reason for establishing these works on the Tyne was that they 

 could get the chalk ballast brought by the colliers from London at 6s. per ton. Mr. 

 Buchanan, the Manager of the Hebburn works, informed me that he would take any 

 quantity of manganese of good quality that we could send from New Zealand at from £6 

 to £7 per ton. Besides sending it to London in our wool ships as ballast it might be 

 shipped to Liverpool and Glasgow for the extensive chemical works in the vicinity of 



