PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 304, 19 September 1919, Page 3

PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY

HISTORICAL BRANCH. Colonel Porter, C.8., vie coresident, presided at the annual meeting of tho historical section of tho Philosophical Society hold at tho Dominion Museum on Tuesday. • ■ Tho absence of the president (Mil Elsdon Best), owing to.illness was apologised for. Mr. Best had only beon up for two days after a fortnight's illness in bed. /The annual report stated that six general meetings • were held, the attendance ranging, from J2 in number to iff, tho average being.2o. Eleven papers were read by seven different members, viz.: Mr. Elsdon Best, Colonel Porter, Eev. Father Gilbert, Dr. Prendergast Knight, -Messrs. F. P. Wilson, H. M. Christie, and Johannes C. Andersen, the subjects dealt with including history, biographical, and autobiographical reminiscences, and ethnology. Certain of tho papers read havo been or will bo handed in to the Publication Committee for possible inclusion in thu "Transactions," others'will be held for publication in an "Historical Journal," tho issue or_ v/hich in the near future was discussed during tho year. 'JCho section proposes to keep a scrap book in which .paragraphs or articles of historic interest to Wellington in particular or New Zealand ill general may be preserved. It is also proposed.to co-operate with the Wellington Amateur Photographic Society with a.view to securing photographs of places and people of historic interest, to be preserved and'set n«ide for the use of historians of the future. ■ ,

' The report was adopted. Mr. Herbert Baillio asked if anything had bean done with regard to an alliance with the Wellington Amateur Fhotographio Society. Mr. Johannes Andersen (eeoretnry) said that he, with Mr. Best, had not lost sight of tho matter, and they ivere to meet them later when a good attendance was assured. The idea was to obtain photographs of certain streets which would correspond with the sketches of Bices. For example, there was one old picture of Molesworth Street, with only one house in it. It was proposed to "have tho street photographed from tho earno. point,' so-that, the photographs could bo of service to the historians of tjie future, when the city had possibly undergone still other changes. It was also proposed to get data and photographs'of the various steps leading up from the flat to The Terrace. Steps had always been initiated to keep any excerpts from the local and other newspapers, dealing with old Wellington and Now Zealand, and old settlers, which work had .been undortakon by Mr. Hogben, jun. . Tho secretary was instructed to writo to tho Defence Department respecting certain files, containing matter or historical military history. • ' On tho motion of Mr. Hogben, jun., it was decided to suspend tho rule relating to tho election of officers in Septcni'bor owing to tho small attendance of members. Tho election will tako place at tho ordinary meeting of the branch to be hold on October 21.