PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10293, 30 May 1919, Page 7

PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY

AN INTERESTING EVENING,

OITY MILK SUPPLY DISCUSSED. . The Wellington Philosophical Society held a meeting on Wednesday, at the. Dominion Museum, the president, Mr R. W. Holmes, 1.5.0., being in the chair. • . A.copy of the late-Mr A. Hamilton's classical.work on Maori. Art, for presentation,, by. the. .New: .Zealand Institute to Mr ..Evan. .Parry, lately chief electrical engineer to-the. Dominion Government, was exhibited. Mr Elsdon Best exhibited and described an Oriental figurine recently found near Auckland in circumstances which pointed to its having laid in the ground for a great \ number of years, European occupation.'. " In'" this connection the ancient Tamil,bell.,found in use by the Bay; of. Plenty ...Maoris' as a cooking utensil",'was referred to as another case which indicated that, early voyagers other.than .those known had reached these shores. ....

A most, interesting paper on "Spiders," describing the classes into which thov are grouped and their characteristics,'.was read by Mr E. K. Lomas. Several instances of v .cleverly-devised #ebs ' were shown, and their methods of use described, as also was the manner in which the trap-door spider, which abounds near Wellington, catches his prey. Reference was made to the "notorious Katipo spiderj and the poisonous' nature' of its bite was authenticated in the discussion which followed. A number of lantern slides were shown illustrating the lecturer's remarks. - ",;v' VARIATIONS IN MILK SUPPLY.

■•'■''' "Seasonal variations of the Wellington Milk Supply" was the title of a paper •rea'd by Mr 'R.'LV' Andrew. It is well known that the quality of milk varies with the. season, and Mr Andrew had prepared charts which showed these variations for various years in Wellington' and corrtpared them with milk tests made by a London milk supply firm". "In this comparison, it was noted that the quality of the New Zealand milk was better than that of London. A minimum in the percentages of fats and solids, not fats, was shown for October in each year, and a maximum generally early in the year. A further variation in the percentage of fats was shown between the morning and the evening milkings; but the lecturer eaid that this variation disappeared when the intervals between r xailkings were made equal. A rise in ~the percentage of fats and solids not: fats was shown to coincide with a particularly dry spell of weather. .....' The speaker stated ..that the best quality of milk opuld only ho procured by buying on the quality basis, that is, by paying more for. "milk showing a, high percentage of fats. A bonus should also bo paid for milk cleaner than a certain standard. An urgent necessity- was-the improvement in the transport system, especially when the milk had to he carried long distances. Tile'discussions which followed the papers brought forth some interesting information, and votes of thanks were passed to the authors.