Overview
Thurs. June. 4.
Went down town to shop, etc. Purchased wedges, 1 inch auger, bills etc from Uncle Hill. Got NZGS [New Zealand Geological Survey] Bulletin No. 16 + three annual reps [reports] from Govt. [Government] Printing Office, bought photo material + albums; also three small picture frames. Lunched in town - popped in to the "Brittania Theatre" picture show for a few minutes. Back to "Fern Hill" for tea - at 7.30. Aunt Edie + I walked up to Victoria College to attend Prof. Davis's lecture, which was held in one of the upstairs class-rooms. There was a good number present including the usual Wgton [Wellington] scientists. The Prof. is a bald, grey haired gentleman, bearded + rather below the average height but possessing a very pleasant appearance. The lecture (on "The Coral Reefs of Fiji") was a great treat, well delivered + most clearly put. The rival theories of Murray, Agassiz + Darwin were dealt with at some length + Darwin's theory of subsidence to produce barrier reefs +
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atolls from fringing reefs was shown to be the correct one because all the islands surrounded by barrier reefs (which is the intermediate stage) have enlarged shore-lines + this is independent evidence of subsidence which was not noticed by Darwin. The lecture was illustrated by fascinating blackboard diagrams. I noticed that Prof. Davis both arrived + departed from his lecture alone + I think that the Wgton scientists by permitting this displayed a great lack of courtesy. After the lecture, at Aunt Edie's suggestion we went to the pictures at the "Empress Theatre."