PHILOSOPHICAL INSTITUTE.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14841, 5 December 1913, Page 3

PHILOSOPHICAL INSTITUTE.

ANNUAL MEETING

The annual meeting of the Philosophic—l Institute of Canterbury was held on Wednesday night, when Dr. Chilton presided.

The annual report stated that during the year fifteen new members were | elected, and twelve either resigned or I wero struck off, so that the number now stands at 178. The Council regretted to record the loss by death of Messrs J. D. Enys and J. L. Scott, both of whom wero associated with the , Institute for many years. Having been so intimately associated with Antarctic j research, the Council learned with grief the sad news of tho loss of Captain Scott, £>r. Wilson, and their companions in tho sie_ging party from the South Pole. At a meeting held on February 11th, the Council placed on record its admiration for tho great achievements in Antarctic exploration of Captain Scott and his associates, and conveyed to the families and relatives of those who had perished, its deepest sympathy with them in their 6orrow. At the suggestion of the Council, tho Mayor of Christchurch convened a general meeting for the purpose of considering the establishment of a suitable memorial. It was gratifying to note that, as a result, a large sum of money was subscribed, and it was hoped that memorial suitably commemorating the heroic deeds would shortly be erected. The Council desired to call attention to the meeting of the British Association in Australia in 1914, and hoped that a number who were invited would extend their visit to New Zealand. According to tho suggested programme, meetings were to be held in Wellington and Christchurch early in September. As the visit of those men would naturally stimulate local scientific work, a hearty welcome would be extended by the incoming Council to our visitors. The Council felt that through the death of Mr A. Hamilton, Director of tho Dominion Museum and a past president of the New Zealand Institute, tho cause of scientific endeavour in New Zealand had lost a valued contributor, especially in the departments of ethnology and New Zealand bibliography. At a meeting on November oth, the Institute expressed its sorrow and its sense of the loss sustained through his death. The Council also noted with deep regret the death of the veteran naturalist, Alfred Itussel Wallace, 0.M., F.R.S., an honorary member of the New Zealand Institute, the co-discoverer with Darwin of the theory of natural selection. His researches in the geographical distribution of plants and animals had a special bearing on tho problems of the joriprin of. New Zealand flora and fauna, and had greatly stimulated research on the subject by New Zealand workers. A Bill dealing with the Dominion Museum, Art Gallery, and the New Zealand Institute, was introduced into Parliament, and tho Council, in considering the Bill, took exception to the clauses referring to tho representation of tho New Zealand Institute on the Board established under the Bill." The Council also objected strondy to the sections rela+ing to the publication and sale of thc Transactions. It was noted with satisfaction that the clauses objected to had been deleted from the Bill, while recent information was received tbnt the sum of £250 was placed on the Estimates for the current year as an additional grant, in order to* enable the Institute to publish the Transactions. Regarding the Arthur's Pass tunnel investigation, the usual temperature observations were continued, and specimens of the rocks were received for examination, in order to keep the series complete, hut owing to the slow progress of the work, no special results could yet be recorded. At the instance of the Otago Institute, the Council had .written to'the Minister of Marine, protesting against., the reof tho protection hitherto accorded the fur sent. Ii addition, tho attention of the Minister was called to the fact that the s eals hrd been killed m the Sounds National Park. It was hoped that the representations would' r f _' _ tho rei, e w -l of tho protection of the fur seal, otherwise the species would soon be quite exterminated. The balance-sheet showed that the total receipts for the year, including members' subscriptions and sale of publications, amounted to £179 Bs. There wns a. credit harik balance of £69 2s yd. . The report and balance-sheet were adonted. _The following officers were elected.— President. Dr. Evans; vice-presidents Dr. Chilton and Mr P. F, Powell: hon! secretary, Mr A. M. Wright: hon. treasurer, Mr R. SneiVht; hon. libraTi_ n Vv\ fr .-F dfK £ R - w -ite; Council. tT' Dr - -L. Cockayne. M..Lame. S. Page, and L. Birks; representatives on the Board of Governors of the Now Zealand' _-«_.+..,„.. Dr. C. Co.er.d_e p*- r „-,, M _ R. Speight; -•wi. auditor. Mr G. E. Way. < «T_T' c f , ol, ? w;T1 ~ papors were 'nut. in :— of New T-a'w? » PL*?'/'- M^ T : ° k: _ " A " *VH>Wio»l *'v " - W , M,Q<! 7> " <T ~: "Some Ww nfjNpw -*«W1 FW-Hti- PWs'^hv from mite Island," by Mr R. Speight