Smith. — Notes on the Kermadec Group. 883 



Art. XLIII. — Geological Notes on the Kermadec Group. 



By S. Percy Smith, F.B.G.S. 



[Read before the Auckland Institute, lith November, 1887.] 



Having lately had an opportunity of visiting Sunday and the 

 other islands of the Kermadec Group, I think it may prove in- 

 teresting to the members of this Institute to learn a little of 

 their geology, as far as the notes I have will allow me to 

 supply it. It is of some little importance to place on record 

 what is known about the islands geologically, in connection 

 with some ideas that have been given forth to the world as to 

 their flora and the relation it bears to the origin of our own here 

 in New Zealand. 



Mr. Cheeseman's notes on the collection he made of the 

 flora will prove of great interest, especially as bearing on ques- 

 tions relating to our own and that of adjacent lands. Into this 

 subject, of course, I do not enter, any more than to illustrate it 

 by notes of the geological history of the group as far as it can 

 be ascertained. 



The Kermadec Group is one of the latest additions to the 

 British possessions, and it has a special interest for us, inasmuch 

 as it was annexed to this colony on the 17th August last at the 

 time of the Stellas visit, by hoisting the British flag and by 

 formally reading the Governor's proclamation. The group is a 

 very small one, and, but for its position and the great fertility 

 of the soil on the largest of the islands, would be of little value. 

 With the exception, however, of the Chatham Islands it is the 

 most valuable of the several groups of oceanic islands belonging 

 to the Colony. 



Sunday, the principal island, is situated just 600 sea miles 

 north-east from Auckland ; a little to the east of the route to 

 Tonga, and a little to the west of the route to Barotonga. A 

 line drawn from Sunday Island, situated in latitude 28° 15 

 South and longitude 177° 52' West, in a south-south-west direc- 

 tion for 142 sea miles, would strike L'Esperance, a bare rock 

 forming the most southern isle of the group ; and close to this 

 line, at 68 miles from Sunday Island, is situated Macaulay 

 Island, and 22 miles from the latter are the Curtis Islands. 

 These fine islands, with a few islets and rocks off Sunday Island, 

 comprise the whole group, which has a total area of 8,200 acres ; 

 Sunday Island absorbing by far the largest portion of this, viz., 

 7,260 acres. 



Captain Sever, commanding the transport Lady Penrhyn, 

 discovered Macaulay and Curtis Islands on the 31st May, 1788. 

 Admiral DEntrecasteaux discovered L'Esperance on the 16th 

 March, 1793 ; and Sunday, or, as he called it, Raoul Island, on 



