Reports of Member Bodies

Appointments. During the year Mr. R. Carey, Librarian at the Dominion Museum, was appointed Branch Librarian, in succession to Mr. R. K. Dell, to whom the Council wishes to express its thanks for his services as Librarian. In August, the Council appointed Mr. J. Brodie to the office of Asistant Secretary.

Auckland Institute and Museum
Annual Report for the Year ended March 31, 1952

Obituary. We record with regret the deaths of the following members:—R. E. L. Aubin, Sir Peter Buck, B. D. Buddle, Major G. A. Buddle, Austin Carr, Mrs. W. Cocker, W. J. Crowther, Sir Albert Ellis, H. R. Hesketh, C. S. Lees, J. V. Macky, Dr. G. K. Sutherland, A. Howey Walker, J. W. Williamson and W. R. Wilson.

Membership. The membership roll at the end of the year was 876, including 261 life members, after the removal of 56 names through death, resignations and deletions, and the election of 46 new members.

Visiting Scientists. The Council accorded welcomes to the officers and scientists of H.M.S. Challenger, of the British oceanic research expedition, and to the Royal Danish Research Ship “Galathea.” The opportunity for interchange of ideas between members of these expeditions and members of the Museum staff, as recorded in the present annual reports, has been much appreciated.

Meetings. During the past year we again had the pleasure of hearing lectures by distinguished overseas visitors: Dr. T. Dobzhansky, who spoke on “Some Aspects of Evolution,” and Professor Raymond Firth on “Social Anthropology and Modern Problems.” We acknowledge also interesting lectures given by Mr. Maxwell Clarke, Ch.M., F.R.C.S., F.R.A.C.S., who gave the British Medical Association lecture on “The Evolution and Development of Surgery Through the Centuries”; Professor D. Brown, Ph.D., “Atomic Research Activities Overseas”; and Dr. T. R. Vernon, “Newly Discovered Allies of Penicillin.”

Sunday Afternoon Lectures. Visitors continue to acknowledge, by the numbers who attend, their appreciation of the Museum Sunday afternoon lectures. For a programme of wide interest we have to thank: Mr. Johannes C. Andersen, M.B.E., “The Bird as an Artist in Music”; Professor P. A. S. Smith, Ph.D., “Some Scenic Gems of North America”; Mr. R. B. Sibson, M.A., “Birds in Britain”; Mr. V. F. Fisher, M.A, “Melanesian Fishing Methods”; Mr. A. A. Kirk, B.A., “Stories of New Zealand's Famous Ships”; Miss M. W. Crookes, M.A., “The Ways of Ferns”; Mr. L. H. Millener, M.Sc., “A Botanist in England”.

The Anthropology Section syllabus commenced with the Chairman's address, “Mythology and Social Life of an Australian Tribe,” by Professor R. O. Piddington, Ph.D. Other contributions were from Mr. M. Te Hau, B.A., Mr. Johannes C. Andersen, M.B.E., Professor A. B. Fitt, Ph.D., Mr. B. Hardie, B.A., Mr. B. G. Biggs, and Mr. M. Winiata, M.A.

The Astronomical Section held regular meetings in the Physics lecture room.

Assistant Director. The year has been a notable one for the opportunities afforded in oceanography by the visits of the Admiralty Survey Ship, H.M.S. “Challenger,” and the Royal Danish Research Ship “Galathea.” Commander Ritchie, of H.M.S. “Challenger,” generously offered to carry out dredging operations at prescribed localities. He secured for the Museum two rich hauls from 109 fathoms off the Great Barrier Island and four dredgings, as well as comprehensive shore collections, from Funafuti Atoll, Ellice Group.

At the invitation of Dr. Anton Fr. Bruun, members of the Museum staff accompanied the Danish Deep Sea Expedition on two cruises, Wellington to Auckland and the first investigation of the Kermadec Deep. The combined trips occupied about three weeks and afforded ample opportunity for learning something of their methods, taking part in laboratory routine and working on research material.

Field researches into native land snail populations in Northland were rounded off by two further visits to North Cape and Cape Maria van Diemen.

Field work also included short visits to Parengarenga Harbour and to Warkworth. On the latter an investigation of the distribution of the New Zealand frog in two forest areas was made in company with Dr. N. G. Stephenson.

Education Service. Cold, wet seasonal conditions and curtailed services resulting from industrial disputes seriously affected the work of the year. The weather conditions resulted in wide variations in the flow of children for lessons. Transport restrictions upset the regular delivery of loan cases to provincial schools, in a number of instances eliminating complete

circuits for a term. Despite these hindrances 60 city and 170 provincial schools were serviced.

Summary of attendances for one hour lessons: Primary, 20,899; Intermediate, 3,171; Secondary, 5,028. Total, 29,098.

An outstanding feature has been the attendances for instruction or observational purposes of all the second year students from the Ardmore and Auckland Teachers' Training Colleges, the outgoing students from the Loretto Hall Training College, and a party from the Kindergarten Training Centre. One hundred and twenty-one students (including 10 post primary) have been attached to the Museum for teaching practice.

Library. A total of 865 books was added to the library during the year, 540 being purchased from the Edward Earle Vaile Trust Fund.

The most notable addition this year to the overseas institutions with which the library exchanges material is the Science Council of Japan, from which a large collection of journals on botany, zoology, geography and geology, with the text mainly in English, has been received.

Canterbury Branch of the Royal Society of New Zealand
Annual Report for the Year ended October 31, 1951

Membership. Ordinary membership of the Society has increased from 243 to 278. Associate membership remains at 11.

Obituary. The Society records with deep regret the death of two members during the year—Mr. E. G. Hogg, M.A., F.R.A.S., and Mr. L. J. Vangioni, M.B.E., of Akaroa.

Scientific Photographic Section. Early in the year it was known that a small group of members were interested in forming a section covering the field of scientific photography and microscopy, and that a number of persons outside the Society's membership were also interested in this field. A meeting of both groups was called by the Society on October 8, when it was decided to ask the Council to form a section. As a result of the meeting 12 persons applied for membership in the Society. The Council has given its approval to the Section, and Mr. G. A. Knox was appointed Chairman, with Messrs. E. C. Gough, J. A. Veale, K. A. Donaldson and R. N. Luff as an interim committee. The new section expects to commence active work early in the year.

Closer Relations with the Canterbury Museum. Faced with the ultimate removal of the University College to Riccarton, the Council considered during 1950 the question of a permanent home for the Society which for many years had enjoyed the hospitality of the College. An approach was made to the Canterbury Museum Trust Board, which received a deputation from the Council and discussed the possibility of provision being made for the Society in the new museum building. The Society asked for the use of the main lecture hall, a meeting place for the Council, provision for storing the records of the Society, and laboratory accommodation for the Field Club Section. The Museum Trust Board agreed to all these proposals, with minor changes, and the Society is grateful to members of the Board for the action they have taken. Although no change can be made until the new Museum building is built, it has now become possible to store many of our records at the Museum. The Society must always be grateful to the Canterbury University College authorities for the privileges which it enjoys at present.

Seventh New Zealand Science Congress. Congratulations are extended to Dr. O. H. Frankel as Chairman, to Mr. G. Stokell, as Treasurer, to the General Secretaries, Dr. G. H. Uttley and Mr. R. R. Forster, and to the members of the Organising Committee for the highly successful management of the Royal Society's Seventh Science Congress, which was held at Christchurch from May 15 to 21. In addition to maintaining the new standard set by the Sixth Congress at Wellington, in 1947, it is submitted that the 1951 Congress made a distinct advance in the organisation of the programme into symposia and the pruning of unrelated Papers.

Programme. The following addresses were given:—March 7, “Fifty Years of Genetics” (Presidential Address), Dr. O. H. Frankel; April 4, “Experiments on the Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiations—Gamma rays, X-rays, Neutron rays, and Alpha rays,” Dr. John Read; May 2, “Ecology,” Mr. J. S. Watson; July 4, “Evolution,” Dr. E. J. Godley; August 1, “Radio Astronomy; the Hydrogen Bomb,” Dr. C. D. Ellyett; September 5, “Oceanography,” Mr. G. A. Knox. October 3, “Physical Optics” (Demonstrational Lecture), Professor F. C. Chalklin and Mr. E. R. Mangin; November 7, “Milk Borne Diseases with special reference to the Typhoid Epidemic at Kaikoura,” Dr. J. H. Blacklock; December 5, “The Kon-Tiki Expedition,” Dr. R. S. Duff.

Special General Meetings. April 26, “The Concept of Race,” Professor T. H. Dobzhnasky; August 20, “The Organisation of Calculations for Automatic Calculating Machines,” Professor D. R. Hartree, F.R.S.; October 8, “The Chemical Adulteration of Goods,” Sir Edward Mellanby.

Ordinary Meeting. June 6, the following Papers were read:—“The Life History of Caliciphoron ijani, the Liver Fluke Parasite in New Zealand Cattle,” Miss Shirley Jonathan. (Presented by title only, Council Meeting, December 6, 1950); “The Intertidal Ecology of Taylor's Mistake,” Mr. G. A. Knox; “Additions to the Rotatoria of New Zealand, Part IV,” Mr. C. R. Russell; “Contributions to Galaxias Taxonomy,” Mr. G. Stokell.

Council Meeting. (By title). August 20, “A Study of the Genus Uropalata Selys from New Zealand.” (Read by title before the Council), Mr. L. S. Wolfe.

The Riccarton Bush. The dense thickets of exotic weeds have now been cleared from the area of bush previously attached to the Riccarton estate. Regular attention will be necessary to keep regrowth in check and some thousands of trees and shrubs will need to be planted to provide a cover of indigenous plants. It is urgently necessary that a nursery be established on the spot to grow the trees. The original bush has benefited from the wet summer and autumn of 1951, and many of the trees and shrubs have made remarkable growth. Native birds continue to visit the bush for short periods, the latest arrivals including four tuis, attracted by the free flowering of the kowhai. Magpies soon drove them away; the destruction of all magpies in the area has been decided on. The 1843 homestead, restored by the Christchurch Rotary Club, has now been handed over to the Board.

Canterbury Museum. The Canterbury Colonists' Exhibition closed a nine months' display in May, having earned £3,536 4s 3d in gross taking for the Centennial Museum Fund. These receipts represented a paid attendance of 77,224, in addition to 30,000 children admitted free in organised school classes.

The centennial year has stimulated interest in provincial history, and the Archives have received valuable additions, in particular, the Lord Lyttelton manuscripts, those of Clifford, Rolleston and Dobson, as well as the ledger books of the Cheviot estate. Outstanding in the recent additions to the Archives are the sketches and water colours of Fitz-Gerald, Preston and Hambroe.

Field Club Section. The membership list is 49, comprising 13 full and 4 associate members of the Society and 32 section members. During the year there were seven field trips held and nine film evenings at the Museum. The section is now affiliated to the Youth Hostels Association of New Zealand.

Library. The Society's Library is shelved, under a merger agreement, with the Canterbury University College Library; and the resources of both libraries are available to members on application to the Hon. Librarian, care of the College Library.

Otago Branch of the Royal Society of New Zealand
Annual Report for Session 1951

Membership. The total Branch membership is now 177. This is an increase of four on last year's total.

Representatives on the Museum Management Committee. Miss Beryl Brewin and Mr. George Simpson served in this capacity during the session.

Representatives on the Council of the Royal Society of New Zealand. Dr. C. M. Focken and Mr. O. H. Keys were the Branch representatives this year.

Fellowship of the Royal Society of New Zealand. Your Council nominated Dr. F. B. Shorland, of the Fats Research Laboratory, Wellington, and Professor F. C. Chalklin, Professor of Physics at Canterbury University College, for this honour. Both were elected by the Council of the Royal Society of New Zealand.

Pre-sessional Activity. In conjunction with the Science Faculty of the University, the Branch held a meeting to welcome the scientific members of the complement of the Royal Research Ship “Discovery II,” which visited Dunedin early in the year.

Percy Smith Medal for Anthropology. At the second ordinary meeting (May 1), Dr. R. S. Aitken, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Otago, presented the above medal to a distinguished member of the Branch, Dr. H. D. Skinner, F.R.S.N.Z., for his outstanding researches into the material culture of the Maori.

Index Faunae Novae Zealandiae. A combined sub-committee from the Canterbury and Otago Branches is still considering possible means of effecting a revision of this work.

The Council of the Royal Society of New Zealand, on the motion of Dr. Focken, resolved at the Annual Meeting to support the production of a new edition.

Special Meetings. A special meeting, in conjunction with the Otago Division of the British Medical Association, was held on October 1 this year, when a distinguished medical research worker, Sir Edward Mellanby, F.R.S., delivered an address on Chemical Adulteration of Food.

Rutherford Memorial Fund. A special appeal, sponsored by the Royal Society of London, has been launched to commemorate the services of Lord Rutherford of Nelson to science. Since Lord Rutherford was a New Zealander it is felt by many scientists in this country that New Zealand's contribution should be as large as possible, and a special drive is accordingly being made to secure donations for this worthy cause.

Conversazione. This function, held jointly by the Association of Friends of the Museum and the Branch, again provided a very pleasant evening for members. Mr. J. E. P. Murphy, lecturer in design and craft at the School of Home Science, spoke on ceramics, and members were later able to view some recent acquisitions of pottery displayed in the Museum.

Items of Interest from the Minutes of the Annual Meeting of the Council of the Royal Society of New Zealand. On the motion of Dr. Frankel, seconded by Dr. Archey, it was resolved that the Standing Committee prepare a report on the present function and status of Fellows (of the Royal Society of N.Z.), and on ways by which their usefulness to the community and to science could be furthered.

On the motion of Dr. Miller, seconded by Dr. Oliver, it was resolved that the question of development of National Collections, their extension, care and housing, be referred to the Standing Committee for examination and report.

Historical Section. Eight meetings have been held, and topics were well spread between subjects of New Zealand and overseas interest.

Astronomical Section. Beverly-Begg Observatory: The winter observing season consisted of 27 Saturday evening sessions from March 31 to September 29, 12 nights being overcast. Committee members conducted these public nights on a rota system, and in addition utilised many other clear evenings to entertain interested parties. Exclusive of Associate Members, 500 people visited the Observatory, an increase of 100 on the 1950 total and a heartening reward for the Committee's efforts.

Occultations. Only two results were obtarned, though attempts were made to observe many more without success.

Aurorac. During the current year, to the end of October, Messrs. Sutherland and Couling have, between them, sent reports of 22 displays, large and small, to Carter Observatory. The aurora of May 2 was the most spectacular, while those of September 20 and 21 were fine displays.

Jessie Hamilton Crust Bequest. During the year the Section benefited by the generosity of the late Mrs. Crust, from whose estate was received a legacy of £200. Mrs. Crust was the mother of the late Alex. G. C. Crust, one of the Dominion's foremost amateur astronomers.

Membership. This now stands at 13 full members and 26 associate members.

Nelson Philosophical Society
Annual Report for Year ended September 30, 1591

Membership. The total membership for the year was 50, including 41 full and nine associate members.

Meetings. The following addresses were given:—October 22, 1950, Annual Meeting, with an address by Mr. E. S. Gourlay on “Cacti and Succulent Plants”; April 23, 1951, Mr. T. A. Oxley, “Some Aspects of Wheat Storage”; May 21, 1951, Mr. J. Hurrrel. “Presidential Address, Some Local Experiments in Soil Conservation”; June 21, 1951, Mr. R. D. Lucas, “The Development of Newspaper Production Over the Past 100 Years”; July 16, 1951, Mr. E. S. Gourlay, “Alpine Flowers of the Western United States”; August 20, 1951, Mr. L. J. Dumbleton, “Sandflies”; September 17, 1951, Mr. Alex Bowman, “Town and Country Planning”.

Attendance. Attendance at our monthly meetings varied from 19 to 42, the average about 29.