176 Transactions. 



Art. XIV. — The Mokoia Aerolite ; with a Few Introductory Remdrks 

 on New Zealand Meteoric Phenomena. 



By George K. Marriner, F.K.M.S.,* Curator, Public Museum, Wanganui. 

 [Bead before the Wellington Philosophical Society, 4th August, 1909.] 



Though several meteoric stones have been found in New Zealand, the in- 

 formation concerning them is difficult of access, owing to its being published 

 in so many difierent journals ; therefore, before describing the recent fall 

 at Mokoia, I would like to briefly summarise the different meteoric phe- 

 nomena witnessed in the Dominion. In doing so I will include all the 

 evidence that can be found on the Makarewa and the Wairarapa meteorites, 

 so that future workers on this interesting subject may find the data easily 

 available. 



Numerous brilliant meteors have from time to time flashed across our 

 sky, but, unfortunately, very few have been recorded. 



Besides these, three meteoric stones have been found, and by their 

 analyses a little more has been added to our knowledge of the heavenly 

 bodies. The first was discovered in 1864, at Tohirua, near Masterton, 

 in the Wairarapa Valley, North Island, and is known as the Wairarapa 

 meteorite ; the second was found in 1879, at Makarewa, a small station 

 near Invercargill, in Southland, South Island, and is known as the Makarewa 

 meteorite ; the third is the one included in this paper, and fell at Mokoia, 

 in Taranaki, North Island, in 1908, and I have termed it the Mokoia 

 meteorite. 



The earliest instance of any meteoric phenomena being seen in New 

 Zealand is one given me by an eye-witness — Mr. H. C. Field, of Wanganui — 

 who states that it took place about the year 1853, but is not certain of the 

 exact year. He describes it as follows : "I was standing outside my house 

 at Waitotara, just after sunset, when I heard a loud whizzing noise overhead. 

 On looking up I saw a brilliant body, apparently about the size of the moon, 

 passing overhead in a S.S.E. direction, until it was lost behind some sand- 

 hills. A few days afterwards I saw by a paper that it was seen in Christ- 

 church, and was supposed to have dropped into the sea S.E. of that town. 

 While travelling across the sky it gave out a white-bluish light." 



The next account that I have is from the Rev. P. W. Fairclough, who 

 says in a letter to me, " I happen to know that a great aerolite passed 

 over Wanganui about 1865, or between April, 1864, and March, 1867. It 

 made a loud roaring noise, and seemed to travel towards Nelson, low down.'' 



Mr. H, C. Field records another meteor that was seen from Wanganui, 

 between 1864 and 1867, but travelling in an opposite direction to the former. 

 Unfortunately, I cannot get the details from the newspapers, as the early 

 records of the Wanganui Chronicle, in which a report was published, were 

 some years ago destroyed by fire. It seems that at 2 o'clock in the morning 

 Mrs. Field was up attending to a sick child, when she saw a sudden flash 

 which made the room as bright as midday and quite ecHpsed the light 

 of the candle that she was carrying. A few seconds later a tremendous 

 explosion was heard, sounding very much like the noise made by people 



* Mr. G. R. Marriner died on the 25th February, 1910.— [Ed.] 



