The Philosophical Society.

Manawatu Herald, 8 October 1892, Page 2

The Philosophical Society.

A general meeting of the Philosophical Society was held in the Colonial Museum on Wednesday evening, when the chair was occupied by Sir Walter Bujler, (President). An interesting paper was read by Mr Bruce, M.H.R., on a Maori waiata, or chant, composed by a chief of a tribe whose land is now known as the Manawatu Blook. The song was a kind of apostrophe to the chiefs newly-born son, calling upon him to emulate the warlike feats of his ancestors. Mr Bruce received the than'rs of those present for his interesting paper. A papW on " The Antiquity of the Moa-*V was read by Captain Mair, in tb.e course of which he maintained that neither the present generation of Maoris nor their ancestors for several generations past could possibly have known anything from personal knowledge Of e*porienee of {fie h\rt,

Their lore on the subject was traditionary, and therefore, he contended, utterly unreliable. A lengthy discussion took place on Captain Mair's paper, the speakers being Sir James Hector, Messrs Tregear, Field, Maskell, and- others, all of whom combatted the views held by Captain Mair as to the antiquity of the moa. Sir W. Buller exhibited specimens of the white tern from the Kermadec Islands, and also of the hedge-sparrow and the original Maori rat, his explanations attendant on these exhibits being most interesting,—JVe««.