Constitution of the Netv Zealand Group. 95 



at the end of this chapter we shall give a succinct sketcli of 

 what was accomplished in the interests of science by the 

 activity of Dr. Hochstetter, our geologist, during his stay in 

 New Zealand, the more copious details of his eight months' 

 stay at the Antipodes being reserved for a special volume. 



New Zealand consists of two large islands separated from 

 each other by Cook's Straits, a splendid channel, 150 miles 

 long by 50 in width, and the two smaller islands, called 

 Stewart's and Chatham Islands, about 50 by 20, separated by 

 Foveau Straits, the latter lyiiig in the ocean about 400 miles 

 south-west of the province of Canterbury. 



The entire group extends from 34° to 48° S., and 166° to 

 179° E. The greatest extent of land, from N.E. to S.W., i. e. 

 from Cape Maria Van Diemen to South Cape, is over 1000 

 miles. The greatest breadth, along the parallel of 38° S. is 

 about 200 miles, while the coast-line is several thousand 

 miles in extent. By the constitution of 1853, New Zealand 

 is divided into six chief provinces : — Auckland, New Ply- 

 mouth (Taranaki), and Wellington in the north island, and 

 Nelson, Canterbury, and Otago, in the central islands, since 

 which period two new provinces have been added, — Hawk 

 Bay in the north island, and Marlborough in the middle 

 island. 



None of the remaining seven, however, is so important or 

 possesses such geographical advantages as Auckland. Its 

 coast-line is upwards of 900 nautical miles, while its more 



