AUCKLAND INSTITUTE

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 271, 9 June 1888, Page 3

AUCKL AND INSTITUTE-

Auckland, April 6. The first meeting of the session of the above Institute was held last evening in the Lecture Hall, Princes-street. There was an unusually large attendance of ladies and gentlemen, the halljbeing well filled. Donations. —Mr T. F. Cheeseman, Secretary, announced that the following donations had been made to the Library and Museum : — Official Gazette of the United States Patent Office, volumes 42 and 43 ; Reports of the United States Entomological Commission, the United States Government, per J. T. Campbell, Esq. , United States Consul ; Journal of the Linnasan Society, New South Wales, volume 2, new series, the Society : Annual Report of the Geological Survey of Canada, Macann's Catalogue of Canadian Plants, the Geological Survey, Canada ; Mineral Products of New South Wales, the Colonial Secretary, Sydney ; Statistics of Tasmania for 1886, the Chief Secretary, Hobart; Fairburn's ShipvS of Tarshish, J. F. Leighton j Eaily Pioclamabion of Governor Hobson, VV. Steele ; stuffed golden pheasant, Mr Edson ; skin of mollyhawk, D. Bate ; crested Penguin and land - shells from Cape Maiia Van Diemen, Captain Fair child ; eergs of weka, Mr Hollings worth ; eggs of stormy petrel, Mr Smdagar; specimen of Helix busbii, T. L. White ; coral or pearl oyster, A. Bonar ; large longicorn beetle from Fiji, J. Falkner; cuttle-fish, Mr OBrien; models of nuggets, D. L. Murdoch ; mineral from Te Aroha and Collingwood, D. Rowe ; large canoe from Bougainville Straits, Solomon Islands, Captain Fernandez ; dress of Nubian woman, G. Brayshaw. Inaugural Address. — The President, Mr Percy Smith, delivered the inaugural address. He remarked that the Institute had now come of age, it being the 21st annual gathering. He also mentioned that more work should have been done with regard to preserving from oblivion the mythology of the Maoris and the Polynesian Islands. They had among their members many gentlemen well qualified to take up this branch of the work, and he hoped that in the future more attention might be given to this matter. He thought that the story of the immigration of the Maori to these islands would form a most important portion of this narrative. He also referred to Judge Fen ton's history of the last 150 years, as given in his recent judgment in the Native Lands Court. He felt sure that much \aluable information might be collated from the transactions of the Native Lands Court. Mr White's more recent work had also preserved much of the original lore of the Maori, and it must hereafter be looked upon as a standard work upon this important subject. He considered that his service had only been equalled by the two works of Sir George Grey, K.C.B. This would not be counted in the future as the lightest of the labours performed by Sir Geortre Grey for this country. The President then referred to the fine collection of native curios now in the Museum, and said that in the future this would be of incalculable value to the student. Auckland being the nearest to the islands of the Pacific, it should be the duty of the Insitute to greatly increase their knowledge of the history of the Maori in other portions of Polynesia. He thought that something might be done in the shape of getting old residents in the Islands of the South Pacific to become members of the Institute, and thus furnish valuable information. He also referred to the question of whether or not the Maori was the first inhabitant of this country There were many things which favoured the idea that they were not and it was a matter that would be well worth further inquiry and research. Had the Maori absorbed another race, some remnants of their language might be found, by a careful examination of the language, to see if there were signs of other languages having been absorbed. They knew that the West Coast natives still had traditions of a race prior to the Maori. The speaker then referred to the Papuan race, and mentioned the vast field of research with regard to the ancient race which had occupied the islands of the South Pacific long before the age of the present Polynesian natives. Such research might tend to clear up the question of a submeiged continent, which had often before been mooted. He hoped that the soundings now being taken by H.M.s. Egeria, with a view to laying a cable to Vancouver, would be successful. In all these matters there were vast fields for carrying out the objects for which the society had been formed. Intimately connected with these ethnological matters was the question of a reference library, and they should take care to secure all works which dealt with subjects relating to the Maori and Polynesian. Sir George Grey had mentioned that in the library at the Cape were deposited 301 books and 233 manuscripts relating to the Maori, which he thought would be much more valued here, and perhaps it would be advisable to try and effect some exchange. He also thought it would be advisable to place on record an accurate description of the configuration of New Zealand when fir&t visited by the white man. These would be of incalulablc value in future years. It was not yet too late to obtain that information, as many of their members were well able to furnish this information. He thought that it would be within the scope of the institution to give aid to some member to supply models and descriptions of some of the native hill forts adjacent to Auckland. He also considered that the ancient traditions of the Maori were not yet all collated, and it would be well if they were put on record while they could yet be attained. Mr Smith alluded to these matters, as the day was not far distant when the means of obtaining this information would have passed away, when perhaps they would regret not having attended to this matter while information could be obtained. He felt that these subjects were of great importance, and therefore he mentioned them. He regretted the way in which he had himself during the last 30 years failed to take advantage of the many opportunities which had been afforded him of obtaining some of the historical information to which he had referred, and he hoped that his few remarks would result m others being saved from similar regrets in the future. Mr. Smith then notified that the next meeting of the Institute would take place on the 18th of June. —Dr. Leger Erson thanked the President for his interesting address, and quite coincided with him in the opinions expressed in his address. He suggested that something might be done towards preserving the remnant of the noble Maori race which still existed. To teach them how to preserve their lives would surely be a noble work. He had listened to. the paper with great pleasure. —Dr. Purchas, as an old colonist, said that many and persistent efforts had been made to teach the natives the laws of health, but without avail. Although many of the natives knew the result, it did not prevent them from committing acts which tended to shorten their lives. — The Chairman explained that the curios on view were the product of the group of islands called tho Admiralty Islands and those adjacent to that group..