﻿Auckland Institute. 387 



cannot hope much, to enrich our published Transactions. As there is no room 

 for original research, so it could rarely happen that the author of a paper would 

 wish to see it published in our printed volumes. One paper has indeed been 

 presented to the Institute at Wellington, containing the admirable observations 

 for longitude made by Mr. H. Jackson, and they will be an ornament and a 

 credit to the Transactions of the current year ; but we cannot hope for many 

 repetitions of such trains of observations as that, requiring as they did the 

 steady persevering application of a year ; and I cannot learn that even that 

 paper has created the interest in the subject which its importance and value 

 deserve. On such subjects it must be rarely that any new light can be thrown 

 here. I presume not the most strenuous supporters of " local industries" 

 would recommend any one under such difficulties as a colony presents to devote 

 himself to the study, as a pursuit, of any of the higher branches of experimental 

 physics ; and very few indeed amongst us can even spare the leisure to follow, 

 with acciiracy and completeness, the published information on these subjects, 

 scattered as this is through the papers and memoirs read before many different 

 societies. 



Biit I apprehend that it would be quite within the reach of many or most 

 of our members to throw together, with less aim and completeness than would 

 be required in a formal lecture, such a sketch of some branch of science as 

 would suffice to interest the less informed on the subject, and to draw out from 

 the more informed their contributions to the common fund of knowledge ; and 

 so we might attain to what I conceive to be the true object of societies like 

 ours, the enabling and inducing its members to club together their several 

 information and knowledge, and so correct and enlarge their own views by 

 comparison with those of others. 



In this manner, by announcing beforehand the subject intended for 

 discussion, and the paper with which it would be opened by way of text, I 

 apprehend we might have very interesting evenings, where many would join 

 in exjDlanation or discussion ; and any one possessing instruments or drawings 

 would be induced to make them available for the amusement and instruction 

 of the Society. The effort which I believe the Council is about to make to 

 obtain selections at least from the " Transactions" of the various scientific 

 societies in England will, I trust, not a little facilitate the step I proj)Ose — one 

 perhaps hitherto impracticable, but which the now rapid expansion of the 

 colony in wealth and intelligence, and the new resources opening up ai'ound 

 us, and stimulating inquiries and awakening curiosity hitherto dormant, seem 

 to render not only possible but necessary. 



A list of donations to the Libraiy and Museum was read by the Secretary, 

 who drew attention to several of the objects which were laid on the table. 



1. " On the Flora of the Isthmus of Auckland and the Takapuna District," 



