on the 15th December, 1925, that this investigation was commenced in August, 1925, when the forests of the northern area were studied and a preliminary ecological classification made. Special attention was paid to the cryptogamic flora and its relationship to the dominant growth-forms. Help was received from Mr. H. N. Dixon, of Northampton, England, and Dr. Du Rietz, of Uppsala University. The first publication of results is being prepared. The investigations will be continued next year, when the balance in hand, namely £16/19/4, will be expended.

Mr. G. Brittin, who, in 1919 was granted £100 through the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury for research on fruit tree diseases, reported on the 23rd November, 1925, that the usual work of pruning, spraying and cultivation has been carried out during the year but was somewhat delayed by an abnormally wet Spring. No alteration has been considered necessary in regard to spraying routine, as the result of last season's work was very satisfactory, there being less than one per cent. of disease present and the fruit reached the market in perfect condition. Considering the numerous complaints of “Brown Rot,” not only from nearby orchards, but from many parts of the country, this is eminently satisfactory and that no infection took place during transit is evidently due to the fact that each peach was wrapped in paper when packed. Part of a block of young peaches was sown down in blue lupin which was ploughed in early in Spring and afterwards well limed. The trees are coming away well and are looking very healthy Grantee has in hand £10/17/3 and he relinquishes £80 of this grant.

Mr. R. S. Allan, who, in 1924 was granted £40 through the Otago Institute for research on the Chatham Islands Rocks, reported on the 2nd August that he has spent two months in field work in that area and investigated the whole of Pitt Island also the South East Island, and revisited the north of the Main Island and examined for the first time the rugged southern volcanic plateau. During his survey he was able to make new observations on physiography, structure and general stratigraphy. He collected a large series of rock specimens, mostly of volcanic rocks, and many new and interesting fossils, both molluscan and brachiopoda. The first part of the final report on the “Physical Features and Structure of the Chatham Islands” is completed and in the hands of Mr. H. D. Skinner, who is editing the results of the Expedition. The second report, dealing with detailed stratigraphy, geological history, bibliography, etc., and containing fossil lists, will be ready by the end of the year. Mr. Allan proposes to make an extensive study of the petrology of the volcanic rocks of the Chathams at Cambridge University, and his further report will be submitted later. The whole of the grant has been expended.

Dr. K. M. Curtis, who, in 1920, was granted £100 through the Nelson Institute for research in parasitic mycology, reported on the 15th December that the results of the investigation will be presented in a paper to be read at the Science Congress in Dunedin. The whole of the grant has been expended.

Mr. W. C. Davies, who, in 1921, was granted £50 through the Neison Institute for research on soil bacteria and protozoa, reported on the 19th December, that work on the bacteriology of certain poor soils of the Nelson District had been continued during the year, further pot experiments and bacterial cultures and counts being carried out with a view to ascertaining (a) the presence or absence of bacterial life; (b) the conditions necessary for the improvement of the soil micro-flora, and (c) the effect of such improvement on the growth of crops in these soils. The experimental work is still in progress, and the results cannot be published until they have been verified by further observations. The whole of the grant has been expended.

Dr. H. G. Denham, who, in 1925, was granted £115 through the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury for research on the low temperature carbonisation of brown coals, reported on the 26th November that the grant had proved insufficient to tempt a qualified graduate to undertake the work. He had arranged with Mr. M. Barak, B.Sc., to start work in February next, but owing to Mr. Barak's recent appointment as Rhodes Scholar, he will probably not be able to carry on the work. Dr. Denham hopes that by next November an assistant will be available. £15 has been spent in literature.

Professor T. H. Easterfield, who, in 1921 was granted £200 through the Nelson Institute for experiments on cool storage of fruit, reported on the 21st December that much additional information has been obtained during the year by means of a special experimental chamber erected within the cool stores of the Nelson Freezing Co. A second interim report has been published as a Cawthron Institute Bulletin by Messrs. McLelland and Tiller. The whole of the grant has been expended. With the additional grant of £100, made at last meeting of the Standing Committee, the work will be continued in 1926.

Dr C. C. Farr, who, in 1921 was granted £75 (£60 being subsequently transferred to another grant) through the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury for investigations on gas-tree sulphur, reported on the 26th November that work has been continued and progress made. The advance has not been rapid but it is hoped that some conclusive results from the investigation will shortly be reached. No expenditure has been incurred during the year, and the balance remains at £4/18/1.

Dr. C. C. Farr, who, in 1924 was granted £250 through the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury for research in Helium in New Zealand, reported on the 26th November that work has been carried on actively during the year. The glass work is all ready, and, has been subjected to preliminary tests with satisfactory results. Inquiries have been received from New South Wales and Western Australia and it is hoped that arrangements may be made for testing gases from these States as well as from New Zealand. A new compressor, for the production of more liquid air than was formerly possible, is under order. The compressor, which is being obtained by Canterbury College for the general purposes of the Laboratory, will greatly help in the particular investigation under report. As soon as this compressor arrives everything is in readiness for quickly testing gas effusions. The expenditure to date is £65/4/5.

Dr. C. C. Farr, who, in 1923, was granted £30 through the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury for a research on the relationship between radium emanation and goitre, reported on the 26th November that Mr. Rogers, who has been carrying on this work, read a paper on the results of his analyses of the waters for Radon and for Iodine before the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury. It is hoped that the paper will be published in the next volume of the Transactions of the N.Z. Institute. This paper stirred up considerable interest and has been responsible for inducing the Christchurch Hospital authorities to continue investigations upon similar lines. An expenditure of £9/15/2 has been incurred.

Mr. H. J. Finlay, who, in 1923, was granted £100 through the Otago Institute for research on the tertiary mollusca, reported on the 1st December that he has been occupied in the examination and determination of both living and fossil forms, chiefly with the large and important family of the Turridae, a thesis on the New Zealand members of which he hopes to present for the D.Sc. degree. Delay has occurred through difficulty in obtaining comparative material from Australia but considerable progress is now being made. A good deal of time has been spent on the study of Austalian shells in regard to their relations with New Zealand shells. Papers have been submitted to the editor of the Transactions. The expenditure to date is £62/0/6.

Mr. F. W. Foster, who, in 1923, was granted £25 for collating the notes, etc., of the late Sir David Hutchins on Forestry in New Zealand, reported on the 15th December that, although he has been unable to make the progress during the year which he had anticipated, the first section of the native forests and forest trees has been quite completed as far as compiling and typing goes and some definite progress has also been made on the section on exotic trees and plantations, which section should not take so long, as the author seems to have completed a good deal of this section. The last part of the section on native trees, viz., the rate of growth, has taken up most of the time. The author had commenced writing it up, but Mr. Foster found very many fresh measurements taken by the author in 1920 and requiring to be incorporated in his earlier work, and new averages to be computed. £3 has been expended.

Mr. H. Hill, who, in 1925, was granted £50 through the Hawkes Bay Philosophical Institute for completing a survey of the Taupo Plains, reported on the 8th December that he has made arrangements for going into the Kaingaroa and Taupo Plateau country early in January. So far no expenditure has been incurred.

Professor J. K. H. Inglis, who, in 1923, was granted £25 and later an additional £20 through the Otago Institute for research on the essential oils of native plants, reported on the 8th December that the work has been continued and several plants have been investigated, the large still purchased last year being used for the continuation of the work on the oil from Manuka (Leptospermum scoparium) by R. Gardner, M.Sc., and a further paper, embodying his results has been sent to the Society of Chemical Industry, London, for publication. Further quantities of the oil from the Ngaio (Myoporum laetum) were extracted and forwarded to Mr. McDowall for completing the research. Work has commenced on Dacrydium biforme and on black pine (Podocarpus spicatus). The expenditure to date is £33/2/6

Capt. L. M. Isitt, who, in 1925, was granted £100 through the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury for Upper Air research, reported on the 24th November that it has taken some considerable time to locate and order the necessary supplies and instruments. He has had an anemometer and barograph installed at the Aerodrome, these instruments being borrowed from the Meteorological Department. The United States Weather Bureau is also sending some apparatus and supplies on loan. A balloon theodolite is on order from London and he is negotiating for supplies of oxygen from Dunedin or Melbourne. Expenditure amounts to £12/9/0.

Professor R. Jack, who, in 1917, was granted £25 through the Otago Institute for investigations on the electric charge on rain, reported on the 9th December that the cathode-ray osscillograph has been used this year on a research on some electrical properties of osglin neon lamps and a paper on this work will be read at the Science Congress in Dunedin. As the osscillograph has a working life of only 200 hours, its usefulness is now almost at an end. The whole of the grant has been expended.

Mr. F. V. Knapp, who, in 1925, was granted £25 through the Nelson Institute for a research on Maori artifacts, reported on the 15th December that, owing to the wet weather of last summer and autumn, he was unable to proceed with the work, but hopes to commence early in the year. No expenditure has been incurred.

Mr. R. M. Laing who, in 1924, was granted £100 through the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury for research on New Zealand algae, reported on the 7th December that he has written a paper entitled “A Reference List of N.Z. Marine Algae” which he read before the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury. A second and shorter paper entitled “External Distribution and Relationships of the N.Z. Seaweeds” will be read at the Science Congress in Dunedin. Collections have been made at various places and a considerable amount of work done on his herbarium specimens. The expenditure amounts to £25/2/8.

Professor J. Malcolm, who, in 1919, was granted £250 and subsequently £175 through the Otago Institute for research on the food value of N.Z. fish, reported on the 15th December that he has continued work on the vitamins in fish and the results will be published as paper 7 of the series in the Transactions of the N.Z. Institute on the vitamins in the Tarakihi. This fish provides a valuable source of vitamin A and the vitamin was found to be to a very large extent resistent to heating, drying, refrigerating and predigestion. These results indicate that this would be a suitable fish for canning. It is already justly prized when smoked. Expenditure during the year has amounted to £33/13/5.

Professor J. Malcolm, who, in 1918, was granted £30 through the Otago Institute for research on the pharmacology of N.Z. Plants, reported on the 15th December that a balance of about £10 remains in his hands and that he hopes to find someone to complete the work.

Dr. Marsden, who, in 1924, was granted £60 through the Wellington Philosophical Society for seismological research, reported on the 1st December

that he had no report to make. No portion of the grant has been expended.

Mr. J. G. Myers, who, in 1925, was granted £10 through the Wellington Philosophical Society for research on N.Z. Hemiptera, reported on the 27th July that a paper on the biology of the N.Z. Heteroptera had been submitted for publication in the Transactions before he left for America. The work now in progress on the Homoptera will be a much bigger work, but he hopes to have a paper on the Cicadidae in the next Transactions. While in Europe he examined and revised thoroughly all the types of N.Z. Homoptera in European collections in so far as they are at present available. This much needed work will obviate all further confusion so far as these species are concerned. The grant has been expended.

Mr. F. H. McDowall, who, in 1924, was granted £60 through the Otago Institute for an investigation of Ngaio Oil, reported on the 8th August that a paper, embodying most of the results, was read before the Chemical Society of London on the 8th June and has been accepted for publication in the Journal of that Society. Later Mr. McDowall forwarded a reprint of his paper. The whole of the grant was forwarded through Internal Affairs to the High Commissioner and Mr. McDowall has so far expended £20/11/5.

Mr. W. J. Phillipps, who, in 1924, was granted £30 through the Wellington Philosophical Society for research on the life-history of N.Z. fishes, reported on the 20th November that partly as a result of the grant received, he is writing a book on the fresh water fishes of New Zealand and it is nearing completion. Partial results of the investigation are published in preliminary descriptions of New Zealand eels in vol. 8, N.Z. Journal of Science & Technology with plates; the river flounder, and the N.Z. minnow in vol. 7 of the same publication. The expenditure so far is £7/5/3.

Professor R. Speight, who, in 1919, was granted £225 through the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury for a geological Survey of the Malvern Hills, forwarded on the 11th December a detailed report of 200 typed pages and maps of his work complete to date. The report includes that from Mr. Page on the chemical and physical properties of the clays as well as sections illustrative of the report and also a panoramic sketch of the locality. The report will not be quite complete until the results of some analyses of igneous rocks have been received from the Dominion Laboratory. These should be available in March when they will be added to the report. Expenditure to date is £133/12/9.

Mr. L. J. Wild, who, in 1923, was granted £25 through the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury for soil survey work in the Manawatu District, reported on the 21st December that during the year work has been carried on as far as opportunity has offered. Two lines have been developed (1) the collection of data relating to soils of the particular district under examination, and (2) the collection and examination of material and data bearing on the general question of soil survey methods. A paper, embodying some results, will be presented to the Science Congress in Dunedin. The expenditure incurred amounts to £2/12/6.

Professor F. P. Worley, who, in 1923, was granted £25 through the Auckland Institute for a research on the chemistry of essential oils of native plants, reported on the 12th December that the investigations on the essential oils of Leptospermum scoparium, commenced by Mr. Inder, have been continued by Mr. Short, and are almost complete. The results will be published early next year. Essential apparatus, which could not be procured with the small grant, has been obtained otherwise. The expenditure from the grant is £19/7/0.

Mr. A. M. Wright, who, in 1921, was granted £75 through the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury for research on the vitamin content of commercial meat products, reported on the 31st December that the investigations have been continued in the laboratory of the N.Z. Refrigerating Co., Ltd. and have been concerned chiefly with those vitamins which are supposed to be necessary for reproduction and which exert a specific growth promoting influence upon certain micro-organisms. The expenses incurred have been borne by the N.Z. Refrigerating Co., Ltd., and Mr. Wright requests that the unexpended balance of the grant, namely £25, be revoted to Professor Malcolm for the purpose of furthering his investigations upon the vitamin

contents of fish products, since further expenditure for the purpose of investigation of commercial meat products will be met by the N.Z. Refrigerating Co., Ltd.

Notices of Motion:—

1. A series of proposed amendments to the fellowship regulations were circulated in the name of Dr. J. A. Thomson. On the motion of Mr. Wright, it was resolved that the proposals be circulated to the incorporated societies, and their replies submitted with the proposals to the next Annual Meeting.

2. On the motion of Dr. Farr, seconded by Professor Worley, it was resolved that the question as to how far the New Zealand Institute fulfils the functions of the National Research Council be discussed with Sir Frank Heath, the Standing Committee, and Dr. Marshall.

3. On the motion of Dr. Farr, seconded by Mr. A. M. Wright, it was resolved that the fact of Japan issuing two full passages, or four half passages, be notified to the incorporated societies, with a view to ascertaining the names of those who wish to attend the Pan Pacific Conference.

4. On the motion of Professor Chilton, seconded by Dr. Farr, it was resoved that the question of the Pan Pacific Congress, 1929, be left in the hands of the Standing Committee to take such action as it thinks fit.

It was resolved that the Hon. Secretary ascertain from the A.A.A.S. Secretary the extent of assistance given by the Australian authorities (Government and otherwise) to the Pan Pacific Congress in Australia in 1923.

5. On the motion of the Hon. Mr. Thomson, seconded by Dr. Farr, it was resolved that the Board of Governors of the New Zealand Institute at its Annual Meeting expresses its regret that the Government should have leased a large area of Auckland Islands for the purposes of a sheep-run. The monetary gain is infinitesimal, while the probably damage to animal life and vegetable life is very great.

New Zealand Institute Science Congress.—Professor Segar gave the meeting a preliminary invitation to hold the next Science Congress of the Institute in Auckland.

Fellowship Election, 1926.—The election for two fellows was held, and resulted in the election of Professor W. N. Benson and Dr. J. S. Maclaurin.

Hector Award, 1926.—The report of the Hector Award Committee (Mr. Elsdon Best, Dr. Benham and Dr. J. A. Thomson) was then opened by the President and read. The report, which was adopted, recommended that the Hector Award and Medal be made to Mr. H. D. Skinner, Dunedin.

Hamilton Award, 1926.—The Hamilton Award Committee (Drs. Marshall, Chilton and Tillyard) reported that two of the candidates, both well deserving of the prize, were so nearly equal that they were