E.—7

10

their associates becoming established. For Parker, however, carrot-drill had little charm; while to his aesthetic nature glycerine and gold-size were messy and distasteful. He was at the time repeating the work of Nicholas Kleinenberg on " Hydra," busy with osmic acid and cocoa-butter, and the well-known results of his labours led him to apply the method to the treatment of plant tissues, with the result that through a short paper communicated to the Eoyal Microscopical Society in March, 1879, he ranks as the first to apply the modern dry methods of micro-chemical technique to vegetable histology. As a discoverer in botany he will remain memorable for having first directed attention to the existence of sieve-tubes in the marine algae (macrocystic) in a short •communication to the " Transactions of the New Zealand Institute " for 1881. Truly his is a great record, worthy of his noble character and his association with a Huxley; but, while the world will cherish his memory for that which he achieved, those who knew him feel that by his death something more than a link with the historic past has gone, and that they have lost a true friend, a noble man, an example. In the autumn of 1892 Parker came Home on a visit. Soon after his return his wife died, and this event probably helped to bring on an illness which showed itself formidably about two years ago. Eecurrent attacks of influenza, the last of which rendered him prostrate for three months, told severely upon his health and strength, but despite all, following the example of his beloved father, he worked on whenever he could, patient under suffering and affliction, the like of which has killed many a man ; beautiful in his unselfishness and lack of ostentation, loving and sympathetic. On the 26th October last he had recovered sufficiently to start on a journey of some forty miles to visit a friend at Shag Valley, in company with his eldest sister, who for several years had lovingly shared his anxieties and administered to the needs of his three boys. While half-way onwards he became so prostrate that a halt was necessary, his friends deeming it advisable to take him towards home again. He reached only as far as Warrington, where he became weaker and comatose, and passed peacefully away on Sunday, 7th November, at 1 a.m. He was buried two days later in the presence of sorrowing friends, a few among the many by whom he was universally beloved.

Balance-sheet of the University of Otago for the Year ending March 31, 1898. Receipts. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ s. d. Balance forward from 31st March, 1897 .. 1,346 10 6 Salaries— Rent of Reserves — Professors .. .. .. .. 4,933 6 8 Burwood and Mararoa .. .. 1,300 0 0 Lecturers .. .. .. .. 1,375 0 0 Barewood .. .. .. .. 900 0 0 Registrar .. .. .. .. 250 0 0 Benmore .. .. .. .. 3,000 0 0 Attendants .. .. .. .. 396 7 1 Forest Hill .. .. .. .. 53 10 4 ApparatusCastle Street house .. .. .. 30 10 0 Chemistry laboratory .. .. .. 30 19 7 Leith Street house .. .. .. 28 8 0 Physical laboratory .. .. .. 20 4 8 Professors' houses .. .. .. 225 0 0 Biological laboratory .. .. .. 22 19 3 Church Board of Property .. .. 1,800 0 0 Medical School .. .. .. 49 18 4 Fees— Fees—Professors and lecturers .. .. 2,315 2 6 Professors' .. .. .. .. 2,506 2 6 \ Repairs and alterations .. .. .. 57 10 10 College .. .. .. .. 246 9 0 j Library .. .. .. .. 42 6 0 Interest on fixed deposit.. .. .. 42 0 7 I Insurance .. .. .. .. 51 16 8 Goldfields revenue .. .. .. 342 15 0 | Water, fuel, and light .. .. .. 181 8 0 Incidental receipts .. .. .. 31 810 Printing, advertising, &c. .. .. 69 6 6 Burwood timber account .. .. 18 19 3 j Incidentals .. .. .. .. 31 7 5 Transferred from Museum Accouli .. 170 2 7 Interest on loan .. .. .. 720 0 0 Expenses, Leith Street house .. .. 11 13 6 „ Castle Street house .. .. 6 6 0 Interest on overdraft .. .. .. 1 10 6 Advance to Richardson Scholarship .. 20 0 0 Fencing, Forest Hill .. .. .. 510 0 Return of fees .. .. .. .. 7 17 6 Transferred to School of Mines Account .. 16 12 0 Balance, 31st March, 1898 .. .. 1,424 13 7 £12,041 16 7 £12,041 16 7 School of Mines Account. £ s. d. Expenditure— £ s. d. Balance, 31st March, 1896 .. .. 07 18 11 School of Mines .. .. .. 587 10 11 ReceiptsGovernment grant, School of Mines .. 500 0 0 Battery return .. .. . . 3 0 0 Transferred from General Account .. 16 12 0 £587 10 11 £587 10 11 Museum Account. Receipts— £ s. d. | Expenditure— £ s. d. Rent of reserve .. .. .. 550 0 0 Maintenance and salaries .. .. 498 7 2 Goldfields revenue .. .. .. 118 9 9 Transferred to General Account .. 170 2 7 £668 9 9 £668 9 9