Annual Report for Session 1955 (86th Session).

Membership. The roll now stands at 161 as against 173 for last Session.

Distinctions Gained by Members. Dr. Alan Bell has been appointed Director of Industrial Hygiene, Department of Health, New South Wales, and will be leaving Dunedin in January, 1956, to take up his new position. Dr. D. A. Brown has been appointed Reader in Palaeontology and Geology in the University of Otago. Dr. D. S. Coombs has been appointed to the Chair of Geology in the University of Otago. Dr. A. G. McLellan has been appointed to the Chair of Physics in Canterbury University College Dr. L. E. Richdale has been elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand in recognition of his outstanding research in the field of Ornithology.

Attendances at Branch Meetings. 30, 55, 60, 65, 45, 40. An average of 49.

Representatives on Museum Management Committee. Miss Beryl Brewin and Dr. Basil Howard have continued in this office. It is to be noted, however, now that the Otago Museum Trust Board Bill has been passed, that the affairs of the Museum will in future be controlled by a Trust Board upon which the Branch has one representative.

Visit of President of the Royal Society of N. Z. The Branch was honoured again this year with a visit from Dr. David Miller, when he gave an address and met members on October 11. Our members congratulate Dr. Miller on his appointment to succeed Sir Theodore Rigg as Director of the Cawthron Institute and wish him success in his new position.

Cancellation of Meeting. The June meeting of the Branch was cancelled as a mark of respect to the memory of the late Mr. Colin Todd, who was to have delivered an address to members during that month Only a few days before the meeting was due Mr. Todd lost his life in a most unfortunate accident. A member of the Branch, he was a very promising young scientist whose untimely death leaves a distinct gap in our midst.

Conversazione. On Friday, October 28, the Annual Museum Conversazione was held jointly by the Association of Friends of the Museum and the Branch. For the occasion some very beautiful floral decorations had been arranged, while three specially illuminated cases were used for an excellent display of Indian Art and Craft in the United States of America. The gathering of 150 persons was addressed by Mr. A. C. Cameron, the President of the Association of Friends of the Museum, and by Dr. H. D. Skinner, the Treasurer. Dr. Skinner said that the pioneering days of the Museum had come to an end, and with the passing of the Otago Museum Trust Board Bill recently, the problems of maintenance were solved. A very pleasant evening was brought to a close with an enjoyable supper in the Maori House.

Main Branch Meetings. The following meetings were held by the Branch—April 19. Presidential Address by Mr. O. H. Keys, “Poison Panorama”. May 3: Professor G. T. S. Baylis, “Two Botanical Excursions in Africa”. July 12: Professor A. Brady (William Evans Visiting Professor of Political Science), “Modern Canada”. (Joint meeting with Historical Section) August 9: Professor N. E. Odell, “Objects and Aims in Antarctica” (Joint meeting with Dunedin Branch of the N.Z. Antarctic Society.) September 13: Mr. A. J. Learmonth (project engineer, Roxburgh Hydro), “The Roxburgh Project”. October 11: Dr. David Miller (President of the Royal Society of N.Z.), “An Entomological Conspectus—Somewhat Anecdotal.”

Historical Section Meetings. April 26: Mr. G. Gillespie, “Military Pensioners' Settlements in Auckland” June 7: Miss E. Seed, “Brick, Tile and Pottery Industries in Otago”. July 12: Professor A. Brady (see above under Main Branch Meetings). August 2: Discussion meeting on the teaching of contemporary history September 6: Historical Revisions conducted by History Department of the University October 18: Mr. G. S. Parsonson, “A Century on Tanna; an Attempt at a Reconstruction of an Aspect of Melanesian History”. Annual meeting.

Original Papers “The Geology of Siberia Hill and Mount Dasher, North Otago,” by Dr. D. A. Brown, Department of Geology, Otago University, with an appendix by Dr. D. S. Coombs, “Mineralogical Notes on an Alkali Felspar, Phillipsite and Clinopyroxenes.” “The Life History of Adenocystis utricularis (Bory) H. et H.”, by Dr. Margaret Naylor “The Biotic.