32 
The N.Z. Journal of Science and Technology, 
[Mar. 
Officers of the Sections. 
Agriculture. —President, Sir James Wilson, Bulls; Secretary, Mr. J. J. Stevenson, 
44 Grey Street, Palmerston North. 
Biology. —President, I)r. C. Chilton, M.A., F.N.Z.Inst., F.L.S.. Biological Laboratory, 
Canterbury College, Christchurch; Secretary, Mr. W. R. B. Oliver, Dominion 
Museum, Wellington. 
General Section. —President, Mr. E. V. Miller, 71 Upland Road, Remuera, Auckland ; 
Secretary, Mr. E. K. Lomas, Training College, Wellington. 
Physics , Chemistry, and Engineering.— President, Mr. Laurence Birks, B.Se., M.Inst.C.E., 
M.I.E.E., M.I.M.E., Public Works Department, Wellington; Secretary, Mr. J. A. 
Colquhoun, M.Sc., 18 Bryant Street, Palmerston North. 
Geology. —President, Professor J. Park, F.G.S., University of Otago; Secretary, 
Dr. J. Allan Thomson. M.A., F.G.S., F.N.Z.Inst., Dominion Museum, Wellington. 
Opening Meeting. 
The opening meeting of the Congress was held in the Town Hall on 
Tuesday night, 25th January, and was well attended not only by members 
of the Congress, but also by residents. Mr. J. A. Nash, M.P., Mayor of 
Palmerston North, welcomed the visitors in the name of the Borough 
Council, and outlined the progressive policy they had pursued in regard 
to municipal enterprises, and especially in the matter of reserves. He 
hoped that when the next Congress was held there, which he trusted would 
be only a few years hence, further great improvements now in train would 
be visible. 
The Hon. G. J. Anderson (Minister of Internal Affairs), in declaring 
the Congress open, stated that during the last year he had given a good 
deal of attention to three matters dear to the heart of the Institute. He 
mentioned as desirable the acceptance of the gift of telescopes offered by 
the Yale University. Inquiries had shown, however, that, instead of cost¬ 
ing only £7,000 for installation, the preliminary cost would be £16,000, 
and in the present serious condition of the world’s money-market and the 
country’s finances, desirable as it was, he could not recommend so large 
an expenditure to Cabinet. Otago, with its proverbial patriotism, had 
offered to raise by subscription the sum of £7,000, and he regretted to 
damp their enthusiasm by telling them how much more would be necessary. 
As very desirable the Minister characterized the proposal to found in the 
volcanic district a vulcanological observatory. Dr. Jaggar, of the Hawaiian 
Volcano Observatory, had presented him with a very able report on the 
subject, and had convinced him that such an observatory in New Zealand, 
by issuing warnings of eruptions, might be the means of saving life. No 
sum of money was too great to expend in saving valuable lives, and as the 
sum needed for an observatory was modest he intended to ask Cabinet 
for it. The Minister said he had intended to do something last session in 
the matter of encouraging scientific and industrial research, and his colleague 
the Hon. Mr. Parr and himself were made a committee by Cabinet to deal 
with the matter. He referred to the complexity of the scheme prepared by 
the New Zealand Institute and National Efficiency Board, and to the large 
amount, £20,000 for a period of five years, which that scheme demanded. 
He had not yet made up his mind just what form the Government assistance 
would take, but emphasized the need for all the scientific bodies co-operating 
fully with one another and preventing all overlapping of effort and 
expenditure. 
The President of the New Zealand Institute, Professor T. H. Easterfield, 
then delivered his presidential address. He referred to the loss by death 
