WELLINGTON PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5682, 16 June 1879, Page 2

WELLINGTON PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY.

There was a large attendance at the meeting of this Society held at the Museum on Saturday evening, so much so that many were unable to obtain seats.

The chair was occupied by the President, Dr. Newman. The Secretary read out the names of .the following gentlemen elected members of the Society since the last meeting;—Messrs'. A. S. Birch, Gt, Allen, E. Lee, Hugh Pollen, Edwards,J. Hayward, O. E Zohrab, A. CalHs, B. S. Waterhouse, T. C. Richmond, R. T. Holmes, E. Lee (of Napier), D. Mills, and Dr. Ceilings. Mr. George Beetham, M.H.R., then read a moat interesting account of two journeys made by him to the summit of Mount Ruapehu, ht being on the last trip accompanied by Mr. A. P. Maxwell. The author graphically described the beauty and grandeur of the scenery observed on the journey, and the difficulties and dangers encountered in endeavoring to reach the highest point. An excellent model of the mountain was exhibited, by means of which the author was enabled to point out clearly the exact route taken, and the various point of interest met with during the ascent. Specimens of the different rocks collected were also on the table.

Mr. Maxwell gave some additional information regarding the nature of the country passed through, and also explained fully the model of the mountain before the meeting. Dr. Hector read a short paper, as bearing on the same subject, on volcanoes and geysers in New Zealand, by Mr. William Collie, after which he stated that Mr. Beetham's paper contained many interesting facts, and to that gentleman the credit was due of being the first to organise a party to visit, this mountain. : He was surprised to hear that such an extensive view as that described could be obtained from the summit. He had travelled all round the base of the mountain, but had no opportunity of making the ascent to the top, so that he could not speak with any certainty of the formation; but he considered it one of the earliest volcanoes in the North Island. He gave an account of his own ascent of Tongariro on 33rd November, 1867, and explained that the active steam eruptions on the side of, the mountain were due to the percolation of water from a cold lake on the summit, a sketch of which ha exhibited. ,

Mr. Travers would like to know something about the vegetation met with on such a journey, and Dr. Hector gave a list of plants differing from Alpine plants in the South Island. Dr. Hector then exhibited on the screen with a lantern some splendid views of both Ruapehu and Toagariro, which both he and Mr. Beetham fully explained. Some very interesting exhibits of iron ores recently discovered by the Government Survey Department were on the table, and also specimens of seventeen new species of grasses described in a paper .by Mr. Buchanan, which was taken as read.