Sir Julius von Haast. 585 



The building in the Domain was opened in September 1870, 

 and has gradually, or rather rapidly, considering the normal 

 progress of museums, developed to its present magnificent 

 proportions under the untiring attention of its late Direc- 

 tor, whose best and most fitting monument it will ever be. 



As Director of this Museum and a constant helper in 

 any educational or artistic work that feil to his lot as 

 a Citizen, Dr. von Haast had been making his name respected 

 in the Colony. Meantime his fame had spread to Europe. 

 He was a corresponding member of all sorts of Societies, 

 and medals, Orders, and titles were his in abundance. 

 Among the most valuable of them all was that medal of 

 the Royal Geographical Society, which is only given to 

 discoverers and explorers of the first rank, such as a Mur- 

 chison, a Livingstone, or a Stanley. It was given especially 

 ior those arduous Alpine explorations to which we have 

 referred already. It was the first bestowed for work in 

 New-Zealand, and therefore a more peculiar honour even 

 than of ordinary. At length came the knighthood, which 

 is the token of British appreciation of Colonial merit and 

 hard work. In i885 Sir Julius was chosen bv the Government 

 as the Colony's representative and Commissioner at the Great 

 Indian and Colonial Exhibition. How he went, and how 

 well he discharged the duties of that office is matter of 

 recent history, and needs no repetition now. The great 

 and rare distinction of Doctor of Science, so jealously 

 guarded, and so seldom bestowed, was given him by the 

 University of Cambridge in August last. It was, perhaps, 

 the greatest event of his public life. 



By the arrangement of the Board of Governors of 

 Canterbury College, Sir Julius, after the Exhibition set out 

 on an extended tour of the great museums of Europe. In 

 spite of serious illness at Bonn he carried out his proposed 

 scherae, and visited Paris, Brüssels, Berlin, Dresden, Vienna, 

 Halle, and also Venice, Florence and other Italian centres 

 early in this year. A vast quantity of things were obtained 

 for the Museum, and Sir Julius had the personal pleasure 

 of meeting scientific friends of years' standing through 



OrnisIII, 4. 38 



