![Thumbnail: [Volume 3, 1870 page 58]](/journals/rsnz/images/rsnz_03/thumbnails/rsnz_03_00_0077_0058_ac_02.gif)
Council Meeting. March 8, 1870.
The Rev. D. M. Stuart in the chair.
After the transaction of business remitted to the Council from the last meeting of the Institute, a discussion took place on the importance of flax culture, in the course of which Mr. R. Gillies expressed his belief that the prevailing impression as to the superiority of the Auckland flax over that of this province, was due to the greater care used in dressing and bleaching; the advantages of climate in connection with these processes were additional causes of the higher market value of flax shipped from Auckland. The superior qualities of flax grew here, he believed, more plentifully than in Auckland; but the heavy drooping leaf which was run after by most flax-dressers here, was not the best.
The Honorary Secretary read the following extract from a letter recently received from Dr. Hector, referring to Mr. Webb's paper on the Museum Herbarium; he said,—“Buchanan's collections for Eastern Otago were all destroyed when his house was burnt, just before I arrived in Otago; and as his work lay in the western districts during the flowering seasons, the loss was never replaced. This accounts for the poverty of the Museum Herbarium in the east side specimens. However, that can easily be remedied by your local collectors. … The classified list attached to Buchanan's paper has been drawn up with every care, but still is only a first attempt. The method of using columns for the different districts I found so useful with my North American collections, that I introduced it very early in our Otago work. The original MS. list is in nine districts, a copy of which I shall be glad to give to your Society; but I thought, and so did Buchanan, that the observations were not sufficiently complete to warrant so many subdivisions. In time I hope to get the materials for a tabular list of the plants, both native and introduced, for every part of these islands, as the
![Thumbnail: [Volume 3, 1870 page 59]](/journals/rsnz/images/rsnz_03/thumbnails/rsnz_03_00_0078_0059_ac_02.gif)
basis for applying efficient tests to the theories of variation and replacement of species.” Dr. Hector further suggests, as a subject for local naturalists, the investigation of the eels and other fishes in the Otago streams and lakes.
Mr. Thomas Kirk, the Secretary of the Auckland Institute, also writes,—“Have you any botanist, or even plant collector, who would care to exchange a bundle of Otago plants, for the Herbarium, for one from this district? Your west coast and alpine plants would be most valued, but even your common kinds and naturalized species would be welcome. The specimens need not be named if the collector does not chance to have a good knowledge of them, although, of course, they would be of greater value when named by the collector. The names of the localities where collected should always be given; and in the case of naturalized plants, it would be well to state their present extent of diffusion, so far as the knowledge of the collector will admit. I need scarcely say this is not imperative.”
Mr. Webb preferred a request that some gentleman should be associated with him in the office of Honorary Secretary, and said that Dr. Hocken had been so good as to say that he would assist him. Subject to his acceptance of the office, Dr. Hocken was appointed Honorary Secretary to the Institute, to act jointly with Mr. Webb.