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Volume 14, 1881
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Hawke's Bay Philosophical Institute.

Annual General Meeting. 7th February, 1881.

The Right Rev. the Bishop of Waiapu, President, in the chair.

Election of Officers for 1881:—President—The Right Rev. the Bishop of Waiapu; Vice-president—E. H. Bold, C.E.; Hon. Secretary and Treasurer—W. Colenso; Council—Messrs. Baker, Carlile, Colenso, Locke, Spencer, Sturm, and Weber; Auditor—T. K. Newton.

During the past winter session six ordinary meetings were held, at which nine papers prepared by members were read.

The number of members is 85, being an increase of 7 on the number of the previous year; but, in reality, the increase is 16, as three of the members whose names were printed in the annual report of last year, have since died, and six others have also left the Hawke's Bay District, and therefore resigned.

Throughout the year some Zoological, Botanical, Palæontological, and Geological specimens have been collected by a few of the members of the Institute for the Museum.

Thirty volumes of valuable scientific works (mentioned in the last annual report as being ordered from England) have been received and are now in the library of the society, together with a few others obtained here in New Zealand, and another large lot, to the amount of £60, has lately been ordered from London.

A further sum of £3 18s. 6d. has been contributed towards defraying expenses of publication of the “Transactions of the New Zealand Institute.”

The audited statement of accounts shows a balance of £200 5s. 2d. remaining to the credit of the society.

First Ordinary Meeting. 9th May, 1881.

Dr. Spencer, in the chair.

1.

“Historical Incidents and Traditions of the Ancient Maoris of this East Coast, showing much of their habits, customs, and ways of thinking in the olden times—ages before they were first visited by Europeans,” Part II., by W. Colenso, F.L.S. (Transactions, p. 3).
2.

The Hon. Secretary also showed several interesting specimens of insects, and of plants (Cryptogams), lately collected by him in the Seventy-Mile Bush; also, a very large flat white bone, artificially shaped into something like the form (and size) of the blade of a garden spade, measuring, extreme length 16 inches, breadth (at its broadest end) 7 inches, and 4 lines in thickness, which is very uniform throughout; the broad end is bevelled

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  • down to a cutting edge, and the sides are square. This bone was found last year in the forest, near to the public works on the railway line at Kopua, lying under 10–12 feet of earth. None of the old Maoris of to-day, who have seen it, know anything of it, or of its probable use. It seems to be made out of a bone of a whale, and is (here, at least) unique.

Second Ordinary Meeting. 13th June, 1881.

Mr. Bold, Vice-President, in the chair.

1.

“Historical Incidents and Traditions of the Ancient Maoris of this East Coast, showing much of their habits, customs, and ways of thinking in the olden time,—ages before they were first visited by Europeans,” Part III., by W. Colenso, F.L.S. (Transactions, p. 3).

This paper, being particularly curious, archaic and recondite, was largely elucidated by explanatory remarks, and also by drawings in the Journal of Sydney Parkinson, who was Sir Joseph Banks' draughtsman, and here in New Zealand with him in Cook's first voyage.

2.

The Hon. Secretary exhibited an interesting collection of tertiary fossils (probably from both Upper and Lower Eocene), containing many species of the classes Coral and Bryozoa, collected by Mr. J. Stewart, of Takapau, in that neighbourhood; and also by Mr. Colenso, at waipawa.

Third Ordinary Meeting. 11th July, 1881.

The Right Rev. the Bishop of Waiapu, President, in the chair.

1.

“On the Microscopical Fresh-water Algœ of Napier and its neighbourhood,” accompanied with drawings, by W. I. Spencer, M.R.C.S. (Transactions, p. 287).
2.

Some new exhibits were shown by the Hon. Secretary; among them were (1) a handsome green moth, probably of the genus Tatosoma, and the largest specimen of that genus yet noticed; (2) some ancient Maori stone axes (or chisels) of a very small size, and possessing a very fine edge, found hidden, with some wooden fish-hooks, in a cave near the Tukituki River; and (3) a large stone axe, of a peculiar and rude shape (probably only partly formed, or the work of a ruder and older race than the present Maoris, or by themselves at an early age), found by Mr. William Chambers, of Poverty Bay, at the Bluff in Southland, New Zealand, while travelling in those parts; the stone, too, being different to any known North Island kind.

Fourth Ordinary Meeting. 8th August, 1881.

Mr. Bold, Vice-President, in the chair.

1.

“Contributions towards a better Knowledge of the Maori Race,” Part IV.,—on their legends, myths, quasi-religious ceremonies, and invocations concerning the Kumara plant,—by W. Colenso, F.L.S. (Transactions, p. 33).
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A few curious and pleasing old manufactures of the Maoris were also shown, further exemplifying their skill, taste, patience, and perseverance (alluded to in the paper read), in various industrial works; including (1) a remarkably finely carved and ornamented sea fish-hook of the old Maoris, made out of human and moa bones, and inlaid with mother-of-pearl shell; (2) specimens of the hand-made cords of the olden time: one kind, though small, being also closely bound round with a still finer one, after the fashion of the silver-string of a violin: and (3) a tobacco-pipe, bowl and stem in one piece, neatly cut out of a hard, close-grained, white stone (obtained in 1835).

2.

Some novel Zoological specimens were also exhibited; among them were several fine spiders, dug up from a depth of 15–20 inches, in swampy soil, at Ongaonga by Mr. John Drummond, and kindly presented by him. This spider is allied to the trap-door spider of Otago (Trans. N.Z. Inst., vols. viii. and x.) but is quite distinct. A paper describing it and its habits was promised by the exhibitor, the Honorary Secretary, at a future meeting.

Fifth Ordinary Meeting. 10th October, 1881.

The Right Rev. the Bishop of Waiapu, President, in the chair.

1.

“On the fine Perception of Colours possessed by the Ancient Maoris,” by W. Colenso, F.L.S. (Transactions, p. 49 and p. 477).

A long and animated discussion followed the reading of this paper, in which the President, Mr. Colenso, Mr. Locke, and others, took part, and Mr. Stack's views were generally opposed and condemned. (See Trans. N.Z.I., vol. xii.)

Several curious Maori exhibits were shown and explained by Mr. Locke, which had been recently dug up out of some old Maori graves at Poverty Bay, comprising several small bone manufactures of the olden time,—including a long needle with a nicely formed eye, and a remarkably well-cut comb, both made out of fine white bone; also, a few large sky-blue globular glass beads, believed by the Maoris of Poverty Bay to have been given to their forefathers by Captain Cook. All those small curios were in excellent preservation, and were very interesting. The blue beads in particular, obtained from the grave, seemed as if opportunely exhumed to bear their silent yet powerful testimony against the colour theories which had been alluded to this evening—e.g., that the old Maoris did not know or could not perceive the blue colour.

Sixth Ordinary Meeting. 14th November, 1881.

The Right Rev. the Bishop of Waiapu, President, in the chair.

1.

“A Description of some New Zealand Plants new to Science,—of the Genera Clematis, Parsonsia, Sarcochilus, Astelia, Polypodium, Plagiochila, and Gymnanthe,—lately discovered,” by W. Colenso, F.L.S. (Transactions, p. 329).

Besides the specimens of the plants described in his paper, many other Cryptogamic species, mostly of the orders Musci and Hepaticœ, and including several believed to be wholly new, also lately obtained from the Seventy-mile Bush, were likewise shown by the Hon. Secretary, together with some fine insects (chiefly Coleoptera), collected at Elms-

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Hill, Patangata, by Mr. G. W. Tiffen, and at Ongaonga by Mr. J. Drummond; and also a very fine living green lizard (Naultinus sp.) from Mr. D. P. Balfour of Glenross. This fine reptile, nearly 8 inches in length, ran about the table.

2.

“A Description of two New Zealand Shells, of the Genera Unio and Patella, discovered long ago, and though early described and published, yet believed to be but little known to science,” by W. Colenso, F.L.S. (Transactions, p. 168).

Specimens of those shells in excellent preservation were shown; although they had been forty years in a cabinet they still possessed their natural colours. This species of variegated Unio is rare, and is believed to be by far the largest known of that genus in New Zealand.

3.

Two fossil teeth of some unknown mammal, obtained from the depth of 117 feet in sinking an artesian well at Meeanee, were also exhibited by the Honorary Secretary. These, from the very great scarcity of remains of fossil mammalia in New Zealand, excited much interest; they are lower-jaw incisors, nearly 2 inches long, perfect, and in excellent preservation.

Specimens of both plants and shells were set apart as donations to the Colonial Museum at Wellington.

Council Meeting. 4th October, 1881.

The Right Rev. the Bishop of Waiapu, President, in the chair.

Captain W. R. Russell, M.H.R., was again chosen to vote in the election of the Board of Governors for the ensuing year, in accordance with clause 7 of the New Zealand Institute Act.

During the past year eight meetings of the Council have been held, and 11 new members elected, viz.:—Rev. W. Goodyear, Dr. Langer Carey, Major D. Scannell, and Messrs J. N. Bowerman, J. H. Brown, J. Chambers, jun., W. J. Ellison, F. Grant, C. D. Kennedy, W. Rainbow, and G. Rearden, making a total of 96, from which number, however, 2 have to be deducted (1 death, and 1 having left New Zealand), leaving 94; to this have now to be added 13 new members, nominated and elected at the annual and Council meetings, held on the 6th February, viz., Hon. J. N. Wilson, and Messrs. H. J. Baker, H. A. Banner, N. E. Beamish, B. Glass, P. Gow, R. C. Harding, E. W. Knowles, P. S. McLean, E. Moorhouse, R. Price, E. D. Tanner, and J. H. Vautier, making a present total of 107 members.

It was also resolved,—That steps should be taken forthwith to procure for the Society the permanent use of a suitable room, either by lease or by building, in which to keep their Library and Museum, and to hold their meetings; and that the Hon. Secretary be empowered to write to the Committee of the Athenæum on the matter.

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