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MEETINGS OF SOCIETIES. 353 
the session took the form of a conversazione. At another, a 
discussion was held on “ The New Zealand Institute: its rela- 
tion to the affiliated societies and to scientific work in New 
Zealand generally.” At another, Dr. Hocken gave his third 
lecture on “ The Early History of New Zealand.” In addition 
to these meetings, three courses of popular lectures have been 
given :—One course of three lectures on “ The Physiology of the 
Senses,” by Professor Scott, M.D., in June ; one of three lectures 
on the “ Psychology of the Senses,’ by Professor Macgregor, 
M.A., in July; and one, also of three lectures, on ‘“ Botanical 
Evolution,” by Mr. G. M. Thomson, F.L.S., in September. 
Eight new members have joined the Institute during the session, 
making the total number on the roll 198. The receipts of the 
session (including a balance of 7s. 7d.) amount to 4188 12s. 
The total expenditure has been £91 11s 4d, leaving a balance 
tehand of £07 8s 3d.. The Reserve Fund in the Post Office 
Savings Bank is now 4192 2s, 2d.” 
The following gentlemen were elected office-bearers for the 
ensuing session :—President, Professor J. H. Scott, M.D. ; Vice- 
Presidents, Messrs. D. Petrie, M.A., and F. R. Chapman, B.A. ; 
feeme secretary, Professor J. J. Parker, B.Sc, A.L.S.; Hon. 
Dreasurer, Mr; )]. C. Thomson; Auditor, Mr. D. Brent, M.A. ; 
Council, Professor J. Mainwaring Brown, M.A., Dr. Hocken, 
Meera WV Arthur, C:E., R: Gillies, F.LS., P. Goyen, G. M. 
Thomson, F.L.S., and J. R. Wilkinson, M.A. 
Dr. Henry Filhol was nominated as an honorary member of 
the New Zealand Institute. 
Mme retiring President, Mr. D, Petrie, then delivered an 
address on “Some duties of a more or less scientific nature in- 
cumbent on the Government.” 
The address dealt in the first instance with the conservation 
and preservation of our forests, and pointed out how the Kauri 
forests of the North Island, as well as the totara, pine and birch 
of the rest of the Colony, were being destroyed and devastated 
in the most wholesale and reckless manner. By cutting down 
all the useful timber trees, and thus letting the wind and sun 
among the young growth, and by wholesale burning and clearing, 
the woodsman denudes the land of its natural covering ; worth- 
less trees or weeds take the place of valuable forest trees, and a 
complete revolution is brought about in the natural conditions. 
“Any scheme of forest conservation that is to be successful 
must be so framed as to obviate as far as possible the effects of 
both the natural and the artificial causes of decline. The 
action of the natural causes will be in any circumstances difficult 
to arrest. But strict regulation of the exploitation of timber 
would go a long way to check their operation. Such regulation 
should aim at reducing the interference with the natural forest 
conditions to the smallest possible amount. Instead of granting 
licenses for the unrestricted cutting of timber in specified areas, 
the Government should place the exploitation under the direc- 
