WELLINGTON PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4845, 2 October 1876, Page 2

WELLINGTON PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY.

A full meeting of the society was held in the Museum Hall on Saturday evening; Mr. Charles Graham, vice-president, in the chair. The minutes of last meeting having been read and confirmed, the election of Mr. William Hutchison was announced. The Chairman called attencion to the addition of about 400 valuable works of reference to the library, through purchases made for the council by Dr. Hector —a selection of the works being on the table. He also announced that the council at its last meeting had resolved to proceed with the. binding of the works, and also to issue. a printed catalogue for the convenience of members.

The discussion of Dr. Curl’s paper on “ The Cultivation of Grasses in New Zealand," was taken up by Mr.- Kirk, who said that while fully agreeing with the author’s opinion re- ' specting the majority of the grasses mentioned by him, he differed with regard to a few, and thought that Dr. Curl had not sufficiently discriminated between those species of value for general pasture and those adapted for forage or for special purposes. After mentioning several species, he stated that alfalfa, was simply the Spanish name for lucerne, of which superior varieties were now in cultivation. Seed of one of these, of remarkably quick growth, had been distributed from the Colonial Museum, and had been fit for use within six weeks from the time of sowing. Dr. Hector said that the alfalfa referred to had been obtained froin California. In the Salt Lake City they obtained as many as eight crops of this grass in the season. It was used only as forage. , Mr. Crawford considered that the Doab and buffalo grasses mentioned by Dr. Curl did not succeed well in New Zealand, as the climate was too cold for them. Mr. J. T. Thomson, F.R.G.S., SurveyorGeneral, read a valuable paper on. “ Colonial Standard Survey.” Dr. Newsian then read a paper on Speculations on the Physiological Changes obtaining in the English Kaoa when transplanted to New Zealand.” The author argued that from the lesser atmospheric pressure in these southern , latitudes, and the- want of phosphates, vital functions were more active, but less perfectly performed, and that the result was that the offspring of Europeans reared in Australia and New Zealand were physically and mentally inferior to those born in England. Mr. Crawford : How about Trickett? Dr. Newman said that Trickett was an exception, and one might just as well say, it it were pointed out that Chinamen were not tall, how about Chang?' Mr. CARBCTHEBS said he would like to see some statistics in support of the statement, and doubted if they would bear out the author's deductions. Dr. Heotor said that itfwas quite a novelty to have such a sweeping attack made on the climate of New Zealand, and thought that general experience was opposed, to the author a views. He considered the paper valuable, as it called, attention to many things, which he believed, however, to be causes that might be remedied, and not those attributed by the author.

Mr. Andrew said, that if the author was right in his statement, that there was a deficiency of phosphates in our food, he was glad that he had suggested as a remedy .a large consumption of oysters..,

The Hon. Mr. Mantell said he was sure tfiat there were many’members who would like

to discuss the subject more fully, and he would move that the subject be adjourned till next meeting. , ’ •- The Chairman called attention to a communication from the' Hon. Mr. .Waterhouse relative to certain specimens of timber, proving the effective protective influence of - charring against the ravages of the teredo. ■ A paper on “The Valley System west of Mount Cook” was read by Mr. Cox, F.G.S., being an account of- explorations made of that Alpine region'by himself and Mr. McHay while engaged in the geological survey of the district. A map was exhibited showing the existence of an extensive snowfield five to six thousand feet in elevation, and resting on the eastern slope of a range that is west of the main, or Mount Cook range, and which forms the source of the Frantz Joseph, the Fox, and the Balfour glaciers, there being a belt of bush country intervening between it and Mount Cook The chief snow drainage from Mount Cook"is therefore by the Tasman and Hooker glaciers to the east, and by a yet united glacier which forms the source of the Whatroa river, which enters the sea at Abbot Head. X)r. Hector said that this was the first recorded attempt to ascend the Mount Cook range from the west, but he understood fromthe author that he had not discovered any practicable route to the peak-_ The President, in adjourning the meeting, announced that three papers required to be held over. He called attention to the photographs arranged in the hall, which had been brought by Dr. Hector from America, and stated that they would remain on exhibition during the ensuing week.