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Volume 3, 1870
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Third Meeting. August 8, 1870.
Rev. Dr. Purchas, President, in the chair.

The Secretary read a list of members elected since the last meeting:— J. M. Dargaville, W. Hill, Jun., Captain Daldy, J. Sheehan, W. Morrin, T. Henderson, Jun., J. Buchanan, E. A. MacKechnie.

The list of donations to the Library and Museum, for the same period, was also read.

1. “On the Relative Ages of the Waitemata Series and the Brown Coal Series of Waikato and Drury,” by Captain F. W. Hutton, F.G.S. (See Transactions.) The groups of rocks treated of by the author are those ultimately arranged by Dr. Hochstetter, in the following series :—

1.

Limestones of the Upper Waipa and Mokan.
2.

Shales and limestones of Raglan, Aotea, and Kawhia.
3.

Sandstones of Port Waikato.
4.

Limestone of Papakura.
5.

Waitemata series.
6.

Brown coal series of Drury and Lower Waikato.

The arrangement proposed by the author is as under:—

1.

Waitemata series.
2.

Limestone of Raglan and Kawhia.
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3.

Sandstone of Port Waikato and Aotea.
4.

Clays of Raglan, Aotea, etc.
5.

Papakura series.
6.

Brown coal series.

No. 1, being probably Upper Miocene; 2 to 5, Oligocene; and 6, Eocene.

The paper was illustrated by several sections.

2. “On a Self-acting Clamp Wire Tramway, specially adapted for Hilly Districts,” by F. W. Wright, L.M.B.T., etc. (See Transactions.)

This paper was illustrated by working drawings and a large model.

In the lengthy discussion that ensued, it was generally agreed that the improvements and additions proposed by the inventor, would be found of great service on the Thames gold fields.

3. “On the Botany of the Auckland Isthmus and the North Shore of the Waitemata,” by T. Kirk. (See Transactions.) The Auckland isthmus extends from the Whau creek to the Tamaki, being bounded entirely by the Waitemata and Manukau harbours, with the exception of the portage between the Whau creek and the Manukau, and the very short one from Fairburn's creek to the Tamaki. The North Shore comprises the district from the north head of the Waitemata to Lucas' creek and Omangia bay.

The author stated that notwithstanding the great changes produced by settlement in this small district, it still contained nearly 450 indigenous Phenogams and Ferns, and after pointing out its chief peculiarities, stated that its flora might fairly be taken as a representation of the flora of the colony, with the exception of the alpine section.

The lower Cryptogams are to form the subject of another paper.

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