116 
The N.Z. Journal of Science and Technology. 
[Mar. 
REPORTS OF MEETINGS. 
New Zealand Institute. 
The annual meeting of the Board of Governors of the New Zealand 
Institute was held at the Dominion Museum on the 29th and 30th January, 
1918. The following are the resolutions of general interest. 
New Zealand Standard Time. 
The Wellington Philosophical Society have circulated a printed report 
suggesting that New Zealand standard time, which is at present 11J hours 
ahead of Greenwich time, should be altered to become 12 hours ahead of 
Greenwich time. Besides the additional ease resulting in all astronomical 
and nautical calculations, the proposal would effect a fair measure of 
daylight-saving without the inconveniences attaching to most schemes of 
this kind. It was resolved by nine votes to five that the New Zealand 
Institute endorse the proposals of the Wellington Society. 
Protection of Seals. 
In reference to a previous resolution urging the protection of seals in 
the Sounds National Park and at Cascade Point, a reply was received from 
the Minister of Internal Affairs that the matter must be deferred until after 
the war. It was resolved that the New Zealand Institute respectfully urges 
that the protection of seals be not delayed until the end of the war, but 
be dealt with by a clause in the Legislative Amendment Bill. 
Finance and Endowment of New Zealand Institute. 
The finance of the Institute consists of a statutory grant of £500 from 
Government and such levies as are made on incorporated societies. For 
several years the Institute has had difficulty in financing the publication 
of the research work of its members. It was resolved that strong repre¬ 
sentations be made to the Government with the view of obtaining an 
increased grant of £750 for this year for the publication of the Transactions 
and other scientific work. With a view ultimately to making the Institute 
independent of Government grants, it was resolved that an endowment 
fund be set up, the interest of which may be spent in any year for any 
purposes of the Institute, but the principal of which may not be spent. 
At the close of the meeting one of the members paid his refunded travelling- 
expenses into the fund. 
Public Meetings of the Institute. 
Hitherto no public meetings of the New Zealand Institute, as apart 
from the incorporated societies, have ever been held in the fifty years of 
the Institute’s existence. It was resolved that the Institute accepts the 
invitation of the Philosphical Institute of Canterbury to hold a week of 
