A meeting of the members was held in the rooms of the Philosophical Institute, at 3 p.m. on Tuesday. Present — C. C. Bowen, Rev. C. Fraser, W. M. Maskell (lion, see.), T. Cass, G. Gould, Archdeacon Wilson, his Worship the Mayor, G. B. Parker, H. J. Tancrcd, Geo. Hall, T. D. Condell, W. J. W. Hamilton,^. Harper, R. J. S. Harman, G. Gordon, P. Hah- 1 naer, Captain Clogstoun, F. H. M. Walker, A. V. M'Donald, B. W. Mountfort, W. B. Bray, and C< Wason. Mr Maskell said that his Honor the Super intendent being absent, he would move that Mr Bowen take the chair. The motion was seconded and unanimously agreed to. The Chairman, in opening the proceedings, said the meeting 1 had been convened to consi , der the advisability of petitioning the Super intendent and Provincial Council to assist in the erection of a building for the proposed ' observatory, and to grant an endowment for { its permanent maintenance. His Honor the ( Superintendent unfortunately had an engage ; ment, and was unable to attend the meeting, I but he had sent the following copy of a letter,. which he had written to two or three scientific j gentlemen in England, amongst whom \vas his brother Professor Rolleston, at Oxford./ " At a meeting held on the 21st anniversary of the province of Canterbury, it was detkrJ I mined to form a society having for its objfiH the promotion of the establishment of fIH observatory in Christchurch. flB " The proposal originated with a numberßß gentlemen interested in promoting the stii^H of astronomy, and in the belief that spccj^H facilities were afforded for the purposes of observatory in this part of New Zealand. J[ " The great expanse of the Cantei*btlM| Plains, together with the clearness of thaf atmosphere, would, it is believed, give a better horizon and larger opportunities fcjr observa tion than exist in any other part of New Zealand. ■ ■ " It has since transpired that, tinknown to the promoters of the undertaking, the Astro nomer Royal had suggested that Christchurch was the best place for observing the transit of Venus in 1874, and that the Imperial Govern ment were desirous of securing the assistance of the Colonial authorities in making the necessary arrangements. 