Notable Celebrations:—

This year is the centenary of three notable scientific events. The first of these is the centenary of the formation of the British Association, and the centenary meeting is being held in London in September, for the first time in the Association's history. It is hard to estimate the influence of this great Association on the world's advancement. Its meetings are of a different nature from those of the more rigidly scientific societies and are attended, as you know, by many who are not active scientific workers, but are intensely interested listeners. This Annual Meeting would seem a fitting opportunity to pass a resolution of congratulation on the work the British Association has accomplished.

Two other occasions which I would like to bring before the notice of the local Institute are those of the birth of James Clerk Maxwell, who was born in Edinburgh on June 13, 1831, and who was the first Cavendish Professor of Physics at Cambridge. The fact alone that Lord Rutherford of Nelson is the fourth of this brilliant band should commend the anniversary of Maxwell's birth to us, but there are other and wider reasons why general notice should be taken of it.

The other centenary is that of Michael Faraday's epoch-making discovery of the induction of electric currents. This, too, has a personal interest for us here and for me in particular, for many of you will remember Sir William Bragg, who was president of the Australasian Association meeting which was held in Dunedin in 1903. Sir William is Faraday's successor, though of course not immediate successor, at the Royal Institution in London, where Faraday's great discovery was made. To me the connection is even more intimate in that Sir William Bragg was one of my early teachers.

These two men, Maxwell and Faraday, were, as you all know, practically the founders of electrical science and electrical engineering as we know it to-day. Faraday's discovery of the induction of electric currents by the movement of magnets is one of the solid foundations of all modern transmission schemes. The other foundation was Oershed's discovery some twelve years earlier of the magnetic effect of an electric current. There can be no doubt that the simple, honest, unostentatious work of these two investigators has had more beneficial influence on the progress of the world than all the bickerings, quarrels and strife, and high ideals and ambitious of parliamentarians and statesmen, though it may be that there are politicians alive to-day who do not know the names of either of them, and I think it is certain there are many who have not heard of both of them. When to these we add the name of Maxwell, that great mathematician who developed theoretically the fertile ideas of Faraday, we have a trinity of investigators whose work for the industrial and scientific progress of the world will always remain. It is well then that their names should be known and honoured. The Faraday Centenary is on August 31.

Earthquakes:—

The deplorable earthquake which happened in February last in Hawke's Bay, focusses our attention once more on these matters. It must be realised—indeed, it probably is realised—that New Zealand, like Japan, is in a region of the earth's surface more liable to such disturbances than some others. We cannot help these things, but as scientific men we can point out what has been already learned, and indicate the steps which should be taken to increase our knowledge. And here I would like to say from this presidential chair that at present, whatever his pretensions may be, no one can predict these disasters. Localities where 'quakes are not unlikely can be indicated. but neither the exact place nor the time can be foretold. There are some who claim to be able to do so, but their claim will not stand the light of scientific examination. Such persons very often do not even know the rudiments of scientific inquiry, and are in themselves very often otherwise ignorant. I do not say they are always charlatans, for I have no doubt that they have in their own minds satisfied themselves they are right, but so are those who claim to be King George V, or some other distinguished person. These claims are not based on exhaustive scientific inquiry, and it is only by these means that the knowledge will come which will enable us perhaps to predict these most disastrous events. That time has not yet come. It quite probably will come in the future—there are some promising indications that it will—but still much has been learned. And one thing that has been learned, and has come out with startling clearness, both in Japan and in Hawke's Bay, is that where the earthquake occurs in thickly-populated districts the resultant fire is more disastrous than the actual 'quake itself. In these days of town-planning, steps can be taken and should be taken to put in fire-breaks, so that the fire, which is sure to start, may find itself checked and unable to spread to other places not already alight.

It is important, too, to keep a watchful eye on the fault movements always taking place. It is unfortunate for New Zealand that the main earthquake line in this country seems to run through the North Island, extending as it does from Hawke's Bay to the West Coast of the South Island.

Since the Murchison 'quake a good many additional seismographs of the latest patterns have been obtained, but so far these have not yet been set up in all cases. I could say a great deal about these matters and other things which have come before me as one of your representatives on the Observatories Committee, but as I understand that difficulties which stood in the way of complete co-operation between the various activities involved are just about to be removed—if they are not already removed—it is unnecessary perhaps to refer more in detail to them. I would, however, strongly urge the most complete co-operation and unity of control, for it is only in this way that progress can be made.

Fellowship and National Research Council:—

Though these questions have been before committees during the year, and recommendations will be made concerning them, definite progress in these respects depends on your discussions to-day. Events which have come before me during the year have more than ever convinced me that there are occasions when the strong consensus of scientific opinion, expressed as it could be by a National Research Council, would be useful. If such a council could be combined with the Fellowship, it would improve the status of both bodies.

The Dominion Museum:—

At last the affairs of the Dominion Museum are reaching finality, and I was exceedingly pleased to receive an invitation to be present at the laying of the foundation-stone of the new building at the Mount Cook site, which took place last week.

Whilst some of us no doubt may regret that the present site cannot be maintained—indeed, I do myself—yet, no doubt, the Mount Cook site will not, even now, be unsatisfactory, and will in time become more suitable, as the Museum and Art Gallery themselves attract a better class of building in the neighbourhood, for a noble pile of buildings is to be erected. I think I may say that the Standing Committee is very gratified with what has been done. The New Zealand Institute receives a very proper representation on the Board of Trustees, and will, we understand, have an even greater influence on the Management Committee of the Museum itself, as distinct from the Art Gallery. The Act provides for two representatives on the Board of Trustees, viz., the president and vice-president, but, very wisely, provision is made for the appointment of deputies in case of inability to attend. In my own case, I have considered that some Wellington resident would in every way be a more suitable representative than myself, and Professor Kirk has very kindly acted for me in this respect. From the number of notices of meetings of the Board of Trustees which I receive, I conclude that the Board is getting to work actively and energetically, and I feel that we may well congratulate the Trustees, and especially Mr Troup, on the progress that has at last been made. May I add, as a resident of another city, that it is not from any want of interest in the Museum that I have asked Professor Kirk to act for me, but from the conviction that this was much the most sensible thing to do.

Financial:—

The financial position of the Institute is a matter of grave concern. I may perhaps be permitted to point out, as indeed I did last year, that the work of the New Zealand Institute is performing a public work in the publication of some of the scientific papers which are read before the local Institutes. I say some, because it is by no means all of the papers which come before the local Institutes which are accepted for publication, but only those which, after passing the critical eye of competent scrutineers, are deemed of sufficient merit for publication. No doubt, more culling can still be done and will

be done, but too drastic cutting down of the size of some publications will react on the scientific work being done, and that in turn will damage the scientific reputation of the Dominion, and also, indeed, hinder its industrial progress. Science is ascertained knowledge, and the scientific publications of a country are a record of observational and experimental ascertained fact, very often regarding the resources of that country. It is undoubtedly the scientific advance of the past 50 years that has been the main cause of the industrial development. For some years past, the Institute has had to draw on the resources of local Institutes, mainly to pay a debt which had been incurred whilst our printing was being done at the Government Printing Office. When other arrangements became possible, we were gradually, with the aid of support drawn from the local Institutes, enabled to reduce the debt, and had practically managed to wipe it out when the present depression came upon us, and we have just been informed that not only has our vote been cut down to half its former value, but also our research grant vote, which we have had for many years, has this year been totally abolished. These things are a serious blow to the Institute's activities, as our resources from the Government have thus been cut down from about £2500 to £750. This covers a grant for general purposes of £1500, and a research vote of about £1000. All of us, of course, recognise the seriousness of the financial depression through which we are passing, and trust it will soon be past. When this takes place, we shall look confidently to the Government to restore us to the position we have occupied so long and, I think, so honourably. We are performing a public service, and have a right to expect sufficient financial aid. The local Institutes are entirely supported by their local voluntary subscriptions, and have their own provincial duties to discharge. The encouragement of science in the district, the establishment of scientific libraries for workers in science, the encouragement and in some cases the actual support of local museums, is their work; the publication of the best of the work done by them is ours. It is not an encouragement to a man if, besides devoting a great deal of time and labour without thought of payment to the elucidation of a scientific question, he also has to pay for the cost of making the results of his efforts known to the world in general. He is, as it were, asked not only to give his knowledge, his energy, and his time to the public without fee, but also to pay the public for the cost of the present. Under such circumstances—if they continue long—the gifts so given, the volume and merit of scientific work done, that is to say, is likely seriously to decline, to the detriment of the culture and knowledge of the Dominion and to its discredit in the eyes of the outside world. I therefore very seriously hope that as soon as these present clouds of depression clear away, the New Zealand Institute's finances may be put on so satisfactory and permanent a footing that it will be unnecessary to continue this improper taxation of local affiliated societies—a taxation, be it said, rendered necessary by the high cost of printing at the Government Printing Office, as we soon discovered when, with Ministerial authority, we were permitted to go into the open market with our work.