THE PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2131, 24 April 1914, Page 5

THE PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY

PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS

There was a good attendance at the mooting of tho Velimgton Plmosophical Society, held in ' tho i/ouiinion Museum Buiicung oil Wednesday - evening. Tho president. Dr. C. Al. .Hector, occupied the cuair. Consideration or a motion, given notice of by Mr. 8. H. Jenkinson, to tho effect that tho mode of electing tho council be altered to provide, that the chairman of the sections shall be ex-oihcio nieniberß of the council; and also ono by Dr. J. A. Thomson, dealing with ahienttmcuts to the rules, were held over until they havo been ccusiuered by 1 tho council. llessrs. 1!. G, Jones and J. M'Douald were oiected members of the society.

In his presidential address, Dr. Hector said that when ho looked over the long list of able scientific worners and thinkers .who had-preceded him, it was not unnatural tuat he should be filled yitii a. sense _ of his rcsponsibiii•*ki. In reviewing the work of the year he would refer to one or two important events merely to £ook forward to their iunuenco on tbo society in the future. Many would remember a paper read by Professor Laby in which ho roviowed the functions and objects of the societies aftihuced to tho New Zealand .Institute, and compared the work dono by them with that undertaken by scientific societies in Great Britain. He pointed out that it was. quite impossible in the society's brief session to overtake tho work of tho many important English Bocieties,_ and stated that many of the papers hitherto read neither embodied the result of original research nor tho exposition' of existing views. Professoi Laby thought that in view of. our isolated position it would bo better for us to make theso societies the.means of making fundamental changes in scientific ideas and modes of thought. To that end he proposed (1) that certain evenings should be set apart for the discussion of papers wherever published which constituted a fundamental advance in science, and (2) that a course of popular lectures should be instituted. Since that paper was read they had seen the evolution of three sections—astronomical, technological, and geological. It would fall to the council and the members this year to consider very carefully the relationships,,financially and otherwise, of the sections to tho parent body. In guiding tho development of the sections, they must see to it that somß clear, bond was-established between them and the parent society, so that the latter might gain and not lose by the new development. It might be usoful to lay down in the meantime that all papers read at sectional meetings should be such as might be appropriately read to the parent society, and the parent 60ciety might have the power to veto any communication of which it did not approve. Unless the number of tho meetings were increased it would be impossible to have in each session a paper from each of the sections or even a useful reeumo of its works. He would suggest a scheme which ho thought, mipht.be carried out:—(1) Let tho work which is undertaken by the specialised societies bo relegated to the sections; (2) let the work of the Royal Institute and ithe British Association be .the work of purveying to the public fundamental ideas to bo carried out by the Philosophical Society; (3) let there be instituted a body of Fellows of N.Z.1., who would deal with all work of an advanced character. In" that manner the work would be apportioned, and a bond formed between workers throughout the Dominion.

New Museum and Art Gallery. Another event of importance was the passage of tho Science and Art Bill, which provided for the establishment, of a Dominion Museum, Art Gallery, end Library. As to tho Museum, everyone was agreed as to the great necessity and urgency for a suitable fire-proof building for the housing and exhibition of our national treasures. As to its site there was not tho same unanimity.. Personally ho was in .entire, agreement with Mr. G.II. .Thomson; in- hoping to see it on the sito :of-tho present' building. There would appear to ;be available an area, roughly, of flOOft; by-100ft., and to his mind there .was. no question of the locality being the most appropriate.in every respect.' , Another; important reflection for them was the probability of eviction from the quarters which they had occupied for 60 long. He was pleased to-say that during his torm of office'the courtesyof the Minister, had been extended to tho ssocicty once 'more,' He sincerely hoped that when the new Museum was built the Government would treat the society in the samo spirit as did the Government of 1874, and provide them not only with a room,' where they could hold meetings and entertairt\ distinguished visitors, but also rooms for the sections. As to» the Art Gallery, he would merely point out, that the Act provided for an exchange of art treasures with other centres. As to tho Library tho position was a somewhat difficult one. • Since its inception,' the society had boon bound by its rules to set apart a third of its revenue v for the purchase of books or of objects of interest tor the Museum. By the Act of 1887 all property, was vested in the N.Z.I. That was repealed by tho Act of 1903, when all such property was vested "in the Kins for the uso and benefit of the public. By special power under the Act certain property was restored to the N.Z.I. Under the Act of 1908' the Board of Governors of the N.Z.I, had the same property vested in it as before., By the new Act (1913) an entirely now board had been set up, comprising the Minister of. Internal Aifairs, the Director of the Museum, tho president of the N.Z.1., and five persons' to be nominated by the Governor-in-Council. Clearly a great deal of tho property which was formerly under the control, of the N.Z.I, would pass under the control of the board. The books of tho N.Z.I, were hopelessly mixed with those of tho Museum and the Philosophical Society, and probably many volumes ■ belonging to those libraries were scattered up and down the country. It was urged that the simplest solution of the problem would be to hand over all tho books to the new library. If they agreed to hand over what they had in the course of years accumulated, they must make sure that they got a nuid quo pro, i.e., be guaranteed that their books were properly housed, properly arranged by a good librarian, and be accessible to members at all reasonable times. Under -such conditions they would be much better off than they were at present.

/Miss Antique was an ancient and very plain spinster. One night she caught a.burglar. Revolver in hand, she faced liim. "Hands up," she : said ccolly, 'don't you dare to move." "Oh, please, miss, let mo gel," whined the burglar. 'I've got a wife and six kids." "You should have thought of that before attempting to burglo my house," said Miss Antique. "Oh, please, inss, they are starving. "Then lot them go to the workhouse. I'm going to ring for the police. "Hold!" ho shouted. "If vou charge me, in tho courso'of the police proceedings your real ago will have to bo declared." "Wretch!" shrieked Miss Antique. "The door is behind you-bc-gonc!