416 Proceedings. 



(abstract.) 

 The author said he thought that if his suggestion was acted on it would 

 have a beneficial influence on the character and stamina of the future 

 inhabitants of the colony. The village greens of England constitute a common 

 property, on which squire and ploughboy meet on equal terms. It had been 

 his good fortune to witness scenes of mirth and joyfulness on four or five 

 village greens, which had conveyed to his mind the most perfect ideal of 

 unalloyed happiness he had ever seen. Children play there with an 

 independence which can only arise from the intuitive feeling in their minds 

 that if they do not own their playground no one else does. He firmly believed 

 that the agricultural labourer's pleasantest recollections were of the hours of 

 his youth spent on the village green of his natal place j and that, when 

 emigrating, such reminiscences went far to enhance his love for the land of 

 his birth. The author then remarked that the waste lands of the colony were 

 being sold without any commons being left, so that games of cricket, etc., are 

 commonly advertized to be played in paddocks kindly lent for the purpose. 

 Soon, in this Britain of the South, when villages are populous, there will be 

 no playground for children but the long, straight, and dusty roads j and 

 the love of country, which would have been engendered by playing on a 

 common, will find no place in their hearts. There should be no walks or 

 flower beds, as in city parks ; no right to graze cattle j the gi'een should be 

 left in a state of nature, except that the village club might level a place for 

 their games. Medical men could, doubtless, point out that reserves are 

 necessary on sanitary grounds; that the free use of the muscles, and the joyous 

 abandon of youthful games are conducive to the development of a perfect 

 body and a virtuous mind. He would not venture to trench on the legal part 

 of the question. 



2. " Note on the Occurrence of Dermestes lardarius and Phoracantha 

 recurva in Canterbury, New Zealand," by C. M. Wakefield. {Transactions, 

 p. 153.) 



Third Meeting. Ith May, 1873. 

 G. W. Hall in the chair. 

 On the motion of Dr. Turnbull, seconded by Dr. Powell, resolved — That 

 a Standing Committee be appointed to wtitch over the formation of townships, 

 whether Government or private, so that a piece of land be set aside in each for 

 the purposes of recreation, etc. The Committee in each case to bring the 

 subject before the Government, so that a recreation ground, in proportion to 

 size of township, may be set aside. The Standing Committee to consist of 

 Dr. Coward, Mr. Bray, Mr. Wright, and Mr. Fereday. 



