ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1993, 25 February 1914, Page 4

ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY.

A YEAR-' OF PROGRESS

Tlio 'annual meeting ef tho Council ■ of tho Astronomical Scciioli o£ tlio Wellington Philosophical Socioty was hoH' in tho Kelbumo Observatory last evening, Dr. C. M. Hector presiding. • Tho annual report, drawn ttp by Mr,. ■ A. (J. Gifl'ord, statetl that tho tear just passed had been marked b/ steady wtfrk oii tho' part of tiio .sect ion, and . souio progress had been Bade. Except : during ■ She Christinas holidays, the observatory had been kept open for visitors, on fine 'Fucsflny- qvcjiiiigs . throughout tlio year. • • the thank?', of tho section were <hie specially to I)r, Hector, Messrs. C E Adam's, P. 'Powlcs, and 0. G. Btirj-y and Captain ■ Hooper for taking" tho 'telescopo on theso occasions. Conypanttivcly low noil-members had taken advent'ago of thesq. opportunities, bhteiWem'- * aging enthusiasm had b£cn shown by some, of tho visitors. Two ellipses of : tlio moon were. observed during tho yeaiy one of them tinder very iawiufable conditions. Siiico tho last nnnii&i meeting Mr. C. E. Adams and Captain Hooper had given a considerable aJnount of timo to tho adjustment of this equatorial telescope. Dr. Hector lad had tho Parsons rcflefitoriresilvored aiid suitably mounted and installed, and ■ had also given a hanclso;mo donation .of :furniture for the meetuig^reom, ;chief work of tho.year had hce.ii that in connection with the Cswthrou Solar Physics Observatory at Nelson. ®Ie \ report dealt in detail with the activities •of Miss Mary Proctor, who raised tiio ■question o"f establishing a Solar Observatory in Now Zealand, amd with the donation by Mr. T. Cawthrdii, of Kelson, which made the project feasible. {Reference was : also • mad© to the visit of Mr. J. Evershecl, who reported., a.t'k\ I investigation, that Nelson was 'a su'itablo location -for tho observatory, and tho report stated. that the Advisory Committee, consisting of the 'Gounctl of tho Wellington Astronomical Scethm, together with Professor T. H, Laby and Mr. E. D. Bell, had held numerous lengthy meetings,' and had still to consider . important q-.iestisns in connection with the Cawtliron Observatory. _ Tlve financial state of tlio section had bceii ipntrrißuy unproved by a grant of £50 .from tho Government and a donation of £10 from tlio' Philosophical Society. Many additions- and improvements Were -.urgently required,, for example, the instaflatfen of the electric light, the addition <jf a porch to tlie building, a driving clack •for .the telescope, a micrometer eye* piece,_ some photographic attachments, and siderial and mean time clocks. The incoming council would have the important and difficult question to decide of how to make the best use of the limited funds available. I The statement of accounts showed a credit balance of £45.. Dr.. Hector mentioned that ho had iii his possession a four-inch telescope, upon an equatorial mounting, wlwli the- section had been desirous of purchasing some time previously. He held it at the disposal of the section until such times as tho state 6f its funds, permitted i-t to take tho instrument over. It was proposed hy Dr. Hector that a hearty vote of thanks should be ae- 1 corded to retiring secretary, Mr, A. C. Gilford, jivho had done a- great deai to keep members lip to th<s mark sind. to keep tlio society going. With 8 less i competent secretary iSait Mr. Clifford, Dr. Hector remarked, tho Society might have come to grief. Mr. Adams, seconding tlm motion, emphasised the yeoman service? rendered by Mr. Gifford in connection with tho activities relating to the Cawthron Observatory. It was agreed that the motion should be recorded in the minutes. Mr. Rogers offered tho Sfleiety tho use of a three-inch telescope. Tho offer was accepted with thanks.