CONVERSAZIONE IN THE MUSEUM.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 78, 29 November 1884, Page 6

CONVERSAZIONE IN THE MUSEUM.

A eoNYKKsv/.iOM': was held in tho Mu&cum last night to celebrate its re-opening after the completion of cxtensivero-fittings. Imitations had been issued, and as a conseqncncc there was a largo and fashionable attendance. Tho interior of the building was profusely decorated w ith flags and native plants, chielly fern with tho nicest taste. Mr S. U. Keesing deserves: full credit tor this result, seeing that ho deigned the entire decorations In carrying them out, howe\er, he was ably assisted by MrCow ie. Mis Seth Smith, Mrs Richmond, Mr- Brown, Mrs Heath, Mrs Pond, Mi-s Whitaker, Mr* Baker, Miss Thomas, Miss New by, and Mi-* Bruce. The artistic ctieet of the florid ornamentation wib considcrab\y enhanced by the bii liant illumination ot the building, and })) i\\> thiong-ot people \\ l>o mo\ id hither and tlnthei amid tein hond- and bc-idc statuan. The iirst pie-occupation of the \i-itoK- appealed to be the inspection oi the tunnelling loan exhibit- both in ait and <cience. Then followed the convcrsa/ioue pioper, the hum ot com ei. -at ion bem_ pailiilly d i owned at interval-, b\ the tions of instiumental iuumc, discoursed by Mr A. Ead.y's. band. After that a ili.-play uf phorogiaphie views on the sci ecu, by limelight, and then a rush to the refreshment room upstair.-, which al-o contained a few notablo exhibits. To icciir foi a moment 01 two to the initial bu-ine-v- ot the o\enmg. Ot the two loomw Inch llank the enhance hall, one wn->set apait toi Lulu- hat- and wiap-, and in <he other w a-* a tine collection ot mieioscope-, In means of which Pi ok— or Thoma*, Dr. Piuchac, Mi— 1- JO Uaitley and JSteele, .-hdwed \aiiwii- inteie-ting object-. Most euiiou- ol .ill ihe-e ol)|ect- iui» a li\c liog. w'ho-c entile internal ceonomj" wa.s c\po.-cd to \ie\\ b) a poweitnl Icn-. Upon tal)le-, or benches luniimi; the length ot the main hall, weie placed 1.10 laige photo uiaph- ot cla— ical -tatuaiy, ln-toiif -( cue-, a- well a- Mr Maekeh io- collection ot -ome -10 oi .~H) \olumc- on the line art^, all of them full either of plate- oi ol etching--. Uctweuiand behind the \aiionpla&ter ca-ts the mechanical evlnhits wcic to bo .-con, cacli Miirouivled by a grouj) of curious interested in it^ woiking. Mr D. S. Chambei\- showed a cleveilyconstiucted knitting maohmc a- well a- a -cwinLj machine w ho-e moti\e power wasupplied by elcctiicity, the foimei being worked by Mis Chambci-. A numbering machine lent by Mr Leighton was manipulatel and explained by Mr Bowiing, while considerable interest attathod to a -phygmogiaph, oi pul-c rccoi'lcr, which wo. 1 * -hown and it- modi's opinnuli lucidly dc^ciibed by Dr. Murray Moore. The instrument, ha\ ing been fa-tencd lound tI)C wrist ot the subject, traces upon a sheet of paper a line which showwho*her or not the pulse is regular in itbeat. .Judging by the iiicgulaiit> of -ome of the lecoid- made loi lair oxpeinncntej-, tliey mu-t iia\u been appiehensi\e le-t it -hould piove to be -ome relic oi mqui-iforial toituie. Mr 11. ti. JSeth Smith di-pla\cd a calitriaph or t^ pc w liter, and M.r J. Wasmouth cxlubiied jacht model-, .-ome of them being dc-igned on the geometrical curve system founded on bcott Jlu— lU'i \\a\eline theoiy. M.c— i^ Aiuheu- din] Ilopkin-, ot W. Atkin diul Co ',- pi i .ting c-tabli-hmcntj -howed the -teieo! \ [>ing piuiL— tin I woiked a printing [)'c— toi thi> editie ition of .iH and -undis. TheiC va-likewi-e a fietwoik machine on \ iew . -it one end ot the lec f uie-ioom Mi Dallcn and hi- f "//'•> of w.iitio--e- di-pcn-ed liglit letteshment, while the leinaiuing -pace waparhally taken up \vith fable- containing cheiiuc il appaiatu-, w it li w Inch some pretty cxpuiment- n\ eie poifounad by .Mr ,). A. Pond, a--i-ted by Mr Kendeidme. In fliilO'im theic weie al-o electiical machine-, etc , exhibited by Piofc--or 15nn\n, and a number ot specimens ot shcllli-h, mollu-ca, <Jcc, by Piote-sor Thoma-. Fiom !) till 10 o'clock the photographic \ieu- of \\ c.-t Coa-t Alpine scenery and Otago lake -ccneiy, lent by Mc--i- Buiton l!ro^., were projected upon the scene and explained by Mr '10.-iah Martin and the Llcv. .). S. Jlill, the tormer gentleman being the lecturer Thi- poition of the evening - entcit linmcnt wai keenly enjoyed. Tlie con\ ei-.i/i me pa--ed oil \ei} piea-antlj, and to Mr T. F. C'hee-eman (the pain-t iking cuiatoi), the \ aiiou- e\!u"bitoi-3 of scientific in-ti iimenl - and mcc li.uncal appli.mce-, and .ill flic; othei- who contn butt d i«) th" -net c— oi 1 he all in, ihe thankof the \ i-it(U- aic -ilentlv le^i-teicd.