1919.] New Zealand Institute Science Congress. 247 
The New Zealand Institute has control of the Hutton and the Hector 
Memorial Funds. With regard to the former a bronze medal is awarded 
every three years for original research in New Zealand zoology, botany, 
or geology. There is also a small income from the fund, from which grants 
are made for purposes of research. The Hector Fund also supplies a medal, 
but with this goes the yearly interest of the fund—some £45—as a prize. 
Medal and prize are alloted yearly, but each year to a different science, 
six sciences being included. Thus the medal for any particular science 
is awarded only every six years. Three Hutton and seven Hector medals 
have been awarded up to the present time. These medals have already 
done a good deal to stimulate research ; as year succeeds year the value of 
these awards will greatly increase. 
The influence of the New Zealand Institute has been very considerable 
on New Zealand science other than that under its actual control. There 
is no Government Department connected in any way with science which 
is not constantly indebted either to the publications or libraries of the 
Institute. The following important works would never have appeared 
had there been no New Zealand Institute : Kirk’s Forest Flora, Kirk’s 
Students’ Flora, Cheeseman’s Manual of the New Zealand Flora, and Suter’s 
Manual of the New Zealand Mollusca. So, too, with many important papers 
and reports issued by various Government Departments. 
Certainly, training is given by the various University colleges in some 
of the sciences, but the very nature of their relation to that purely 
examining body—the New Zealand University—reduces to a minimum 
the value of these colleges as a training-ground for the all-important 
scientific research. This crying want is supplied to some extent by the 
New Zealand Institute, whose Transactions are open for papers from young- 
aspirants for scientific research if they appear to show aptitude at all. Had 
it not been for this, scientific career after career would have been stifled 
at its birth. 
The meetings, too, of the incorporated societies are not mere gatherings 
for specialists. They are open to the public, and popular lectures are 
frequently delivered by the leading scientific men of the Dominion. Nor 
are the ordinary evenings devoted to original papers barren for the student 
or even for the non-scientific listener. To hear a master of his subject 
detailing the methods, objects, and results of his research is most inspiring. 
Mere technical papers are taken as read ; any one is free to ask questions 
after the reading of a paper, and illuminating discussions may ensue. 
Finally, the student comes into personal touch with those working at that 
branch of science he would pursue if he knew how ; he is inspired by the 
enthusiasm of the older worker ; friendships beneficial to science may arise 
which endure for life. 
The various activities of the New Zealand Institute have been supported 
by the statutory grant of £500 per annum, an amount deemed necessary 
bv the Government in 1868. However, the population of the Dominion 
has greatly increased during the subsequent fifty-one years, and so, too, 
in proportion the monetary requirements of the Institute. So acute has 
the position become that for some time past it has been necessary to make 
a levy of about £200 on the affiliated societies, who, with their responsi¬ 
bilities for their local museums or libraries, to say nothing of their other 
activities, could ill. bear the imposition of such a burden. Many papers of 
great value await publication ; much work of national interest awaits its 
initiation ; but there are hardly funds sufficient to publish the Transactions. 
Happily, more than a gleam of hope appears. The Hon. Mr. Russell is not 
