N.Z. INSTITUTE

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2681, 29 January 1916, Page 13

N.Z. INSTITUTE

ANNUAL MEETING OF THE BOARD

"MINISTER'S ADDRESS

The animal meeting of the Board of Governors of the NewjZealand Institute was held yesterday. . Tilers were present 'Mr. D. Petrie (president), the Hon. G. W. Russell, Dr. J. Allan Thomson, Dr. •Hilgendorf, Dr. Cockayne, Dr.' Hatherley, Professors T. H. Easterfield, H. B. Kirk, H. W. Segar, Marshall, Messrs. C. A. Ewen. A. H. Turubull, B. C. Aston, A.; M. Wright,. G. M. Thomson, H. Hill, and J. W, Poynton. The chairman delivered an address on ihe work of the institute during the year, making reference to the difficulties met with owing to the lack of sufficient funds.-

The Horn G. W. Russell, being invited to speak, informed the institute of what had been done under the Science and Art Act, and said that it would be his aim as Minister of Internal Affairs to do his best to direct the activities of the board set up under the Act as to keep its workiiu. complete.accord with the aotivities of the institute;/. He attached a great deal.of importance to the development' of -scientific research in this country,-'and he was of opinion that one of our great' failures in this regard was due m great _part to insignificant' part taken in scientific wprk by the Dominion Museum. He had in a former .term as Minister had plans prepared for the erection of a building to serve as a museum and art gallery on the site of the present museum building. That scheme had been abandoned in favour of another of which he personally did not approve. But if the institute would fortify him with a resolution in support, he would use all his influence aud energy as a member of the Government to have the former scheme approved, and to have a beginning made next year with a new building, to serve as a museum, an art gallery, and a repository for scientific literature and specimens., Mr. Russell suggested that the institute should .endeavour to establish branch in districts not now. represented, which societies could be affiliated with the institute. He promised to give consideration to any proposals the institute might make for aid from the Government, provided, of course, such proposals did not make too serious, inroads on . the country's Treasury.'■ A hearty vote 1 'of thanks to Mr. Russell for his address was' carried- by acclamation.

On the motion of Dr. J. Allan Thomson, it was decided to forward, to the University of Louvain as complete a set as possible of the' publications .of the institute. . It was explained that for the present the University' was located at London, the intention being to transfer the library and the university to its old home after thb war.

The report (ind balance-sheet were adopted-after brief discussion. Proposals were mad of or strengthening" the finances of the institute, Dr. J. Allan Thomson'moved that for every copy of the transactions issued to an incorporated society two and'sispence be payable by tho society. Mr. H. Hill moved by way of amendment tiat'a levy at the rats of 2b. 6d. per member be made for the current year on every affiliated society. ' Professor Segar suggested that the levy proposed would hit the Auckland Society, which was the biggest society in New Zealand, very hard. ;He asked Mr. 'Hill to include a proviso in his amendment to the effect that no society b® required to contribute more than £35' in - ' •

The amendment was defeated by . 9 votes to 7, and the original motion carried.

The Standing Committee reported that it had been decided to circularise, all public libraries in New Zealand, to ascertain whether they would' accept partial, sets of transactions as .a donation from the institute.At. present some 16,000 volumes of institute literature are stored ifi. the Parliamentary Library.

t The Hamilton Memorial -Committee reported that the fund collected for the memorial to the late : Mr. Augustus Hamilton, amounting ■at present to £■122 2s. 10d., was on deposit in the Post -Office Bank. It was explained that the original proposal had been to erect :■ a monument in . Whangaroa basalt,; but. as this ; stone was difficult to obtain because of its being found only in inaccessible country, that scheme had to be abandoned. Arrangements' were now in progress for the erection of a monolith over the grave at., Russell, Bay of Islands. 'The examiners appointed to make the Hector Memorial Award" recommended that the medal be awarded to Sir. Ernest Rutherford, F.R.S. 'In accordance with the recommendation, the institute decided to make , the award. A sum of £50 was voted out of the Hutton Memorial Fund : towards the cost of publishing the result of the researches of Major Broun on New Zealand coleoptera. . The election of officers resulted as follows-.—President, Dr. W. B. Benham, Professor of Biology in the University of Otago; hon. treasurer, -Mr. 0. A. Ewen; hon. seoretary, Mr. B. 0. Aston; editor of publications, Dr. L. Cockayne; assistant editor (subject to his consent), Dr. Cotton; hon. librarian, Dr. .J, Allan Thomson; publications committee, the joint editors, the librarian, Professors Kirk and Easterfield, and Mr. B. G. Aston; Hectolr Award examiners, Professor Has'well, of Sydney and Professor Baldwin Spencer, of Melbourne; library committee; Dr. Cockayne, Dr. Cotton, and Dr. Thomson.

For the one vacancy 'in the list of honorary members five name's .were proposed: Dr. Jean Charcot and Sir Dou"las Maw son, both noted for Antarctic research; Dr. T. Mortensen, of Copenhageiij a. noted marine biologist; Dr. E. E. Prince, Commissioner of Fisheries for the Dominion of Canada, and Professor Jean Massart, of the 'DniverBity of Bnissels, an eminent botanist. Professor Jean Massart was elected. - 'It was agreed that the next meeting of the institute be held at 'Wellington ou Tuesday, January 30, 1917.