﻿400 Proceedings. 



which time and pains had been bestowed, would betveasui^ed and carried about. 



The Rev. Mr. Fraser spoke in favour of the theory of two races, but pointed 

 out that the Maoris might have been identical with the Moa-hunters. There 

 was no doubt that in Europe the Palajolithic and ISTeolitliic races co-existed. 



Mr. Boys said he had seen quantities of Moa bones lying on the surface of 

 the ground on the Waipara Plains. 



Mr. Hart, on the other hand, stated that in cutting a mill-race in the 

 Riwaka Valley, JSTelson, a ship's copper bollt was found four feet below the 

 surface, and at a distance of seven miles from the sea. 



The E-ev. Mr. Stack stated in reference to the good preservation of Moa 

 bones lying on the surface of the ground, that the Maoris took great care to 

 protect the plains from fire on account of there being their rat-hunting grounds, 

 and he thought that the accumulation of decayed grass would cover and protect 

 the bones from atmospheric influences. Also that Moa is the name given by 

 the natives of the Friendly Islands to birds generally, and that the Cassowary 

 is found in the Samoan group, so that the natives in their few traditions of 

 the Moa might be investing the bones of this bird with the plumage and 

 attributes of the Cassowary. He said that there were still living intelligent old 

 Maoi'is, learned in traditions reaching back to their immigration. In one 

 tradition of a fight with a Taniwha, they very accurately describe a crocodile or 

 alligator. This tale they must have brought with them, and it is therefore 

 highly improbable that they should have lost all traditions of the Moas, 

 supposing that their ancestors were acquainted with them. 



Dr. Haast replied in support of the theories advanced in his paper. 



Second Meeting, ^th A^ml, 1871. 



Julius Haast, Ph.D., F.P.S., President, in the chaii-. 



His Excellency Sir G. F. Bo wen, G-.C.M.C, President of the New Zealand 

 Institute, was present. 



New members. — Mr. Kennaway, F. Strouts. 

 Presentations of books were laid on the table. 



1. The Chairman of the Grass Committee brought up a report. (See 

 Transactions, p. 292.) 



2. " An Inquiry into the Influence of Railway Gauge upon the Construc- 

 tive Cost and Working Expenses of Railway," by E. Dobson, Assoc. Inst. C.E. 

 (Printed and circulated separately/.) 



Some slight discussion took place, in the course of which His Excellency 

 the Governor remarked that the narrow gauge had not realised all that was 



