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instrumental in founding it, for according to Mr. J. S. Lloyd "the 

 formation of a Museum was looked upon as one of the objects of the 

 Society ; and no doubt the efforts of the Society in this direction were 

 not "altogether without effect, and they have probably borne fruit in the 

 Museum attached to the present Institution." But this Society as the 

 exponent of natural science in this colony may legitimately occupy itself 

 with the question as to whether or not the Museum is fulfilling its 

 proper functions ? 



A good deal of carping criticism has been indulged in of late in re- 

 spect to it, but with this I have no sympathy. No man can be found 

 possessing specific knowledge in every department of a general Museum, 

 but I think that if greater facilities were offered to the student in any 

 given branch of our local Natural History, voluntary help of a useful 

 kind would be forthcoming. I propose to examine the question which I 

 have raised from a higher standpoint, and to indicate the chief 

 directions in which reform is needed. By directing your attention to the 

 shortcomings of the existing Museum, I trust that you will use your in- 

 fluence to have them remedied in the Museum of the future. Agitation 

 upon museum reform has been active of late in England, and I have 

 largely availed myself of the opinions of the museum reformers, as I find 

 them to be applicable to our own case ; the arrows that I shall shoot are, 

 therefore, not all from my own quiver. 



A well-arranged Museum is valuable to the State in various ways. 

 In its highest sense it encourages a love of knowledge for its own sake, 

 apart from any selfish aims ; it is a necessary instrument of training in 

 Natural History, and it assists in raising up men possessed of scientific 

 knowledge, to whom appeal may be made for trustworthy information 

 touching the means to be employed for the development of our natural 

 food resources and concerning the character of the natural agents ob- 

 structive to that development. A knowledge of the life history of 

 noxious insects enables the entomologist to suggest the right means to 

 keep them in check ; and this fact has been fully recognised in the 

 United States, England, France, and Germany. Legislative acts relating 

 to the preservation of birds, fish, oysters, &c, passed by the countries 

 named, have all been lictated by the zoologist. How practically useful 

 and instructive would our Museum be if the rocks, minerals, fossils, and 

 manufactured mineral products of the country were displayed in such a 

 manner as to show in what new directions capital may and may not be 

 invested. 



