534 Transactions. 



Art. LIV. — The Physiography of Wellington, Harbour. 



By J. M. Bell. 

 [Bead before the WeJIitujton P/uIomphical Society, CitJi October, 11)09.] 



Introduction. 



The site of tlie capital of New Zealand was chosen primarily because of 

 the existence of a spacious land-locked harbour, with good anchorage for 

 ships, in a convenient part of the Dominion's land area. 



Owing to its harbour, to its central position, and its choice as the coun- 

 try's capital, Wellington's commercial supremacy in the Dominion seems 

 assured. For these economic reasons, if not from purely scientific interest, 

 it is well to understand the effect of the various forces which have acted 

 together to form Wellington's harbour, generally known as Port Nicholson. 



The Harbour To-day. 



The harbour is a fine sheet of water, about nine miles long by five miles 

 wide, land-locked save at the comparatively narrow entrance, only 88 chains 

 wide. A number of islets, and two small islands known as Somes Island 

 and Ward Island, appear on its surface ; while several shoals either almost 

 or totally below its surface render navigation somewhat difficult in places. 



View from Kelburne Kiosk. 



High hills almost completely surround the harbour, rising in general 

 in steep slopes from the water's edge. There are, hoAvever, several fair- 

 sized areas and small patches of level or gradually sloping land close to 

 the edge of the harbour. By far the largest of these is that which forms 

 the relatively wide valley of the Hutt River, extending north-eastwards 

 from the north-eastern end of the harl)Our. This plain has a width of 

 nearly two miles and a half near the harbour, and gradually narrows as it 

 extends inland. 



Westward from the narrow channel connecting Port Nicholson with 

 the open sea is a low range of hills, which may for convenience sake be called 

 the Seatoun Hills, owing to the settlement of that name at their eastern 

 base. These are connected with the Kilbirnie Hills, to the west, by a narrow 

 sand isthmus betAveen Evans and Lyall Bays. 



The Kilbirnie Hills attain their maximum altitude in Mount Victoria, 



which rises some 648 ft. above the sea. To their westward is the low and 



elatively flat land on which the City of Wellington stands, having a slope 



on the northern side to Lambton Harbour and on the southern side to 



Island Bay. 



Westward of the city rise the Karori Hills. These are partially sepa- 

 rated bv the Karori Yallev from the maiii range of hills extending }iorth- 



