﻿Wellington PMloso2)hical Suciety. 361 



that it would tend gi-eatly to tlie adv^antage of the colouy if additions were 

 made to the present staff, which would permit its labours to be more divided, 

 and thus leave its head the necessary opportunity and leisure to collate and 

 digest the results obtained. 



The miscellaneous papers in the Transactions, contributed by our Society, 

 contain many of considerable value and interest, but it would lead me too far 

 were I to notice their contents in this address. 1 may, however, refer to the 

 circumstance that in many parts of the colony attention is being directed to 

 inquiries into the origin and history of the Maori race, and we may hope that, 

 before it is too late, we shall see on record all the facts yet obtainable which 

 may be calculated to throw light iipon this, at present, obscure subject. 



In conclusion I propose to offer a few remarks upon the work before us. 

 It has been observed that the progress of science, even dui'ing a single year, 

 must greatly depend upon the recurrence of special phenomena in nature, to 

 give occasion for inquiry, experiment, and speculation. This may be specially 

 true in regard to some of the sciences, but certainly it is not strictly ajDplicable 

 to all, for, when we look around us, and even at our very feet, we find 

 abundant matter for consideration and observation, which has remained 

 untouched by former observers, and which still waits to be recorded. In 

 former parts of this address I vindicated in some degree the direction which, 

 as it appears to me, our labours should take in some of these departments of 

 inquiry, and it is satisfactory to think that, whatever the result may be to the 

 immediate political condition of the colony (apart from purely scientific con- . 

 siderations) from the works which are being undertaken and pi^osecuted hj 

 the Colonial Government, these works will afford invaluable opportunities of 

 pushing on inquiries in various branches of the Natural History of this 

 country, in a manner and with a rapidity which we could otherwise scarcely 

 have hoped for. The construction of lines of road and rail, through tracts of 

 country hitherto comparatively unknown, will give to the geologist and 

 botanist, to the miner and agriculturist, and indeed to all who are engaged, 

 either theoretically or practically, in inq\iiring into, or in developiug the 

 resources of the countiy, the greatest facilities for carrying out their objects ; 

 and we may look forward, in this aspect of the matter, to results of the highest 

 importance and value. It behoves all who take an interest in these results, 

 and who possess the leisure and opportunity of recording observed facts, to do 

 so carefully ; and I may observe that the Government itself could, by instruc- 

 tions to the more skilled of the officers engaged on the works, give material 

 aid towards accumulating observations. I will not weaiy you with further 

 remarks, and will now close this address by expressing a hope that all who 

 take an interest in the progress of science in New Zealand will give their 

 services to the work, remembering that the great object at present in view is. 



