![Thumbnail: [Volume 4, 1871 unnumbered page]](/journals/rsnz/images/rsnz_04/thumbnails/rsnz_04_00_0037_0000_ac_02.gif)
Third Annual Report by the Governors of the New Zealand
Institute.
The Governors met for the transaction of business during the past year on the following dates:—21st July, 15th September, 23rd September, and 1st November, 1870; 6th January and 5th April, 1871.
On the 23rd September, 1870, an additional Statute, forming Section IV., was adopted relative to the election of honorary members of the Institute, in accordance with which the following gentlemen were elected on the 6th January, 1871, from the list of names suggested by the various affiliated Societies, and their election was communicated to them under the hand of His Excellency the Governor, as President of the Institute:—Professor Louis Agassiz, Captain Byron Drury, R.N., Dr. Otto Finsch, Professor W. H. Flower, F.R.S., Dr. F. Von Hochstetter, Dr. J. D. Hooker, C.B., M.D., F.R.S., Dr. F. Von Müeller, C.M.G., M.D., F.R.S., Professor Richard Owen, F.R.S., Rear-Admiral G. H. Richards, R.N.
The following members of the Board were re-nominated to be Governors:—Sir David Monro, Dr. Knight, and J. E. Fitzgerald, Esq.
On the 23rd September incorporation was granted to the Nelson Association for the Promotion of Science and Industry, according to the terms of the Act.
The New Zealand Institute now includes the following incorporated Societies, the total number of members being 553, makting an increase of 208 during the past year:—
[The section below cannot be correctly rendered as it contains complex formatting. See the image of the page for a more accurate rendering.]
| Members in 1870. |
Members in 1871. |
|
| Wellington Philosophical Society | 80 | 107 |
| Auckland Institute | 106 | 151 |
| Philosophical Institute, Canterbury | 76 | 100 |
| Otago Institute | 80 | 123 |
| Nelson Association | 72 |
The Governors elected for these Societies for the year 1871 were, His Honor T. B. Gillies, His Honor William Rolleston, and His Honor Mr. Justice Chapman.
The appended report by the Manager, relative to the Museum, shows that, while the progress made by that Institution is satisfactory, great inconvenience is now experienced from want of sufficient accommodation for the proper display of the collections, and to allow of the acceptance of
![Thumbnail: [Volume 4, 1871 page 18]](/journals/rsnz/images/rsnz_04/thumbnails/rsnz_04_00_0038_0018_ac_02.gif)
collections which are offered as exchanges. The suggestions made in the last report of the Governors, at the request of Government, with a view to adapting the Museum and Laboratory for the purpose of instruction in technical science, have been carried out so far as to allow of eight or ten students being instructed in the Laboratory. This was done by taking advantage of the alterations required for the introduction of gas into the establishment; but as provision has not been made for lecture-rooms and apparatus, full effect cannot yet be given to the proposed scheme for a regular course of lectures on practical science.
The Governors, therefore, venture to express a hope that the Legislature will see fit to sanction an expenditure adequate to carry out the objects of the New Zealand Institute.
The appended statement of accounts shows the manner in which the endowment to the Institute has been applied during last year; and it will be observed that the receipts include a sum of £49 16s. 9d. for copies of the Transactions sold to persons not members of the Societies. It is proposed to devote the funds received in this manner to the illustration of hand-books on the various branches of the Natural History of the Colony.
The Proceedings of the Societies were issued to members in a separate form in July, 1870, and January, 1871; and the volume of Transactions for the year was in the hands of members early in May 1871. The latter consists of 351 pages devoted to original articles, as against 348 in Volume II., the total number of pages in the volume, including the Proceedings, being 499. Sixty-eight original articles have been published at length, and it has been found necessary to defer twelve articles for future publication.
Notwithstanding that in several cases illustrations sent with papers have been omitted, when not absolutely necessary to explain the author's views, the number of plates has been increased in this volume to thirty, there being in last year's volume only twenty-three.
There were 750 copies of Volume III. printed, 524 of which have been issued to the affiliated Societies, and 146 presented to Public Libraries in England and other places. The volumes remaining on hand at this date are—of Volume III., 80; of Volume II., 75; and of Volume I., 9 copies.
Under these circumstances the Governors cannot make the same distribution to the affiliated Societies of extra copies to be sold in aid of their funds as they did last year; and in future the spare volumes will be sold for £1 1s. each, which is the annual subscription paid by members of affiliated Societies.
G. F. Bowen, President.
Wellington, 28th August, 1871.