OTAGO INSTITUTE.
The postponed annual meeting of this institute was held last evening at the University Buildings. The Rev. Dr Stuart was in the chair, and several members (including ladies, were present. The miuut«s of the last meeting having been read and confirmed the following business was transacted : NKW MEMBER. Mr Johnson, schoolmaster at Wakari, was elected a member of the institute. REPORT OF THE COUNCIL. Mr D. Brent, hon. sec., read the following report:— . During the past eighteen months the following paper have been readMr Justice ChapW*iu Annual Address.' Mr J. T. ThomsonUil Barat,a Numerals.’ Mi- J. S. Webb-Qn Tropical Variations of Atmospheric Pressure. M?-’ J- —Qu a Fish of the Genus -Bovighthys, caught near' Dupedip. 'Mr Furclie —Dn a supposed Hybrid beriyeep a Cat apd ap Opossum. Mr Purdie-On Recent Additiops to the Museum Mr J. S Webb-An Address on the Work of the Past Year in Astronomy and Celestial Physics. Mr R. Gillies—On Kiwis captured near Dunedin. Mr J. S. Webb—On the Botany of the Tussock Ground near luvercargUl Dr Deck—On Infant Mortality Mr bkey—On a New Construction for an Astro nomical Telescope. Mr J. S. Webb—On Zodiacal Light. Mr J. T. Thomson—On Glacier Action and Terrace Formation. Mr A H Ross-On the Variation °f the Declination of >te tlc T^ ee< l lem ‘ he Southern Portion of the Middle Island, and the Establishment of Magnetic Observatories in New Zealand. Mr Peter Ihomson-On a visit to Sandymount, and a Description of its Natural Features. Mr urdie On the Skull of a Grampus. Dr Lauder Liudsay-On the Acclimatization of Salmon m New Zealand. Mr J. T. Thomson oun n Philological Considerations on tbo Whence of the Maori. Mr Skey-On a Smokeless and Self-J ceding Furnace for Lignites and the utilization of tho Waste Heat. Mr A. H. 9, n Observed Irregularities 'in the Action of the Compass in Iron Steam Vessels. Captain Hutton—Lists of Insects Recorded as Observed up to the Year 1870. balance Sheet. Mr J. 8. Webb, hon. treasurer, read a statement of accounts, by which it appeared that the receipts fer the faucial year!
were L 145 Ba, and the expenditure (includ’“S L/ 0 paid into the library fund*) was V 6 * 6 d—having a balance in hand of i-r oj u , ° ut library fund LlOl 17s 3i had been expended in books and apparatus, leaving a balance to the credit of that fund of LL3 2a 91. The articles purchased had arrived, and Professor Shaud had been appointed to take charge of them: amongst them being additional apparatus for the spectroscope, consisting of an induction coil, giving a 4J inch spark, and Browning’s new spark condenser, an apparatus for giving the spectra of solutions. ELECTION of officers. The following we e elected officers for the ensuing year ;—President-Mr J. T. Thomson ; vice-presidents—Messrs M'Kerrowaud D. Brent; hon. secretary—Captain Hutton ; hon. treasurer-Mr J. S. Webb ; Council— Messrs A. Bathgate, W. N. Blair, R. Gillies, P. Thomson, Skey, and Professors Black and Shand. PAPER. Mr Webb then read a paper on the “ Mythology and traditions of the Maori in New Zealand,” by the Rev, J. H. Wohlers, mis* sionary at buapuke Island, Southland. Tho paper was of a very interesting nature, but we have not space for more than a brief of it. he writer bad collected his materials during the last twenty-five years from the Maories in the southern part of the country, but it was impossible now to obtain any insight into tho old customs or legends of the race—the older Maories dying out, and the younger ones not having, as was formerly the case, ancient traditions instilled into them. The custom of tapn was fully described and the religious ceremonies and observances ; it being stated that in the South Island the Deity was held to be the uncle of heaven and the first husband of the earth, while Sir George Grey found, in the North Island, that the Deity was there considered to be the sou of heaven and the mother of earth. ( The President proposed a vote of thanks to Mr Webb for reading the paper, whioh was carried unanimously; and after discussion it was decided to communicate with Dr Hector with a view of having the paper translated into the Maori language.
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Evening Star, Issue 3430, 18 February 1874, Page 2
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710OTAGO INSTITUTE. Evening Star, Issue 3430, 18 February 1874, Page 2
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