POLYNESIAN SOCIETY.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 December 1917, Page 6

POLYNESIAN SOCIETY.

A very successful meeting of the Polynesian Society was held on Wednesday at the residence of Mr. Percy Smith, ■ president of the .Society. In opening the proceedings, the president announced that , a large- correspondence had been receiv- , ed fr_om "many strange parts of the | world'' since last quarterly meeting. The • letters showed unmistakably that the Society was extending its influence annually, and its publications were read with interest and fully appreciated bv all (lie scientific societies with whom the publications are exchanged. There is verv great interest taken in other lands in the Maori of New Zealand and all his kindred throughout Polynesia. Like all other scientific societies, the Polynesian Society has suffered from the loss and resignation of members owing to the war. The general average of members is 200. They comprise many of the scientific institutions of America and Europe, and many distinguished anthropologists and ethnologists resident in those countries. The valuable work of the Polynesian Society is better known in far lands than it is in New Plymouth, where its journal ig published quarterly. The society was founded by Mr. Percy Smith, F.'lt.G.S.. in 1592. The twenty-six handsome volumes published by the society since that year comprise valuable papers by distinguished Maori scholars and linguists, and by those of other Polynesian and Melanesiau peoples. The 'society has also published six special volumes of memoirs. It possesses a verv valuable library composed of volume's dealing with the scienes of anthropology, ethnology and philology. The society'is hoping To shortly occupy its new rooms in the new additions to the public library, where it

.will carry on the valuable work" which it lias been doing for 1 twenty-six year.-.