236 The N.Z. Journal of Science and Technology. [July 
Addresses of welcome were delivered by the Mayor and Dr. C. Coleridge 
Farr, President of the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury, and were 
responded to by Dr. L. Cockayne, President of the New Zealand Institute. 
» 
Garden Party. 
On Thursday afternoon, 6th February, 1919, Mr. and Mrs. E. F. Stead 
gave a garden party to the members of the Institute at their residence at 
Ilam, Riccarton. There were present His Excellency the Governor-General, 
Lady Liverpool, and suite, the President of the Congress (Dr. L. Cockayne, 
F.R.S.), His Honour Sir John Denniston, the Mayor of Christchurch 
(H. Holland, Esq.), Mrs. Luke (Mayoress of Wellington) and other visiting 
Red Cross Council delegates, many officers and members of the Institute, 
and a large number of citizens of Christchurch. The beautiful lawns and 
garden, with its fine representation of native plants and its winding paths 
exhibiting glorious hydrangeas growing on the river-banks, were much 
enjoyed by the visitors, and combined with the brilliant sunshine, music, 
and the social intercourse to make the occasion memorable. 
Excursions. 
Alternative excursions were made on the afternoons of Tuesdav, 4th 
February, to Riccarton Bush and Lincoln College ; on Wednesday, 5th 
February, to Dyer’s Pass on the Port Hills, and to Quail Island, Lyttelton 
Harbour (Geological Section) ; and on Friday, 7th February, to various 
industrial works and to Grey River (Geological Section). By the courtesy 
of the Public Works Department, members of the Congress were enabled 
to visit the Lake Coleridge hydro-electric works during the week-ends both 
before and after the Congress. 
Riccarton Bush. 
About thirty members of the Congress attended the short excursion to 
the Riccarton Bush under the leadership of Mr. J. Deans (Chairman, 
Riccarton Bush Board) and Professor C. Chilton (representative of the 
Philosophical Institute of Canterbury on the Board). 
The bush was presented, some years ago, by the Deans family to 
the people of New Zealand. It is of great historical importance, as it 
is the last remnant of a much more extensive kahikatea ( Podocarpus 
dacrydioides) forest which occupied certain swampy areas of the Canter¬ 
bury Plain. The bush contains at the present time sixty-eight species of 
indigenous plants, of which sixty-one are trees, shrubs, and herbs—the 
latter few in number — and seven are ferns. The kahikatea-trees, of 
which the forest principally consists, are full of vigour. There are 
fine examples of the pokaka ( Elaeocarpus Hookerianus). The milk-tree 
(Paratrophis microphylla ) is the most important feature of the under¬ 
growth. Lianes are greatly in evidence, and the climbing stems of the 
bush-lawyers ( Ruhus cissoides and Rubus subpauperatus principally) are of 
the largest dimensions. 
Besides the bush, which created great interest, at t.he invitation of 
Mr. Deans the party visited the beautiful private grounds, where the many 
fine examples of exotic trees were greatly admired. 
