CHAPTER XI 
AUCKLAND AND VICINITY 
Emily Place is on a rounded knob of a hill overlooking the 
harbor and railroad terminus. Beyond the water with its numer- 
ous vessels of all descriptions one sees the large suburb of Devon- 
port and still further the extinct voleano of Rangitoto rears its 
head, the highest mountain in that general region. The plan of 
the city is irregular to a perplexing degree, due largely to the 
number of rounded hills of voleanie origin which break the con- 
tour of the plain over which the city is spread. The streets, of 
course, seek the lower levels and wind around the bases of these 
hills in the most erratic way. The Post Office and many of the 
finest business blocks are on Queen Street which runs along an 
irregular depression or valley with higher ground on either hand. 
There are some fine parks and numerous churches, some of con- 
siderable architectural pretension. Electric tram-cars furnish 
good transportation facilities and there are also numerous public 
taxicabs. 
The general tone of the city is metropolitan as might be ex- 
pected of the metropolis of the Dominion of New Zealand, with a 
population of about 158,000. It has the stir and general air of 
a much larger place and is the port of entry for trans-Pacific 
steamers from America, Australia, Fiji, Polynesia in general, 
South Africa and India. One line runs directly to England by 
way of Panama. This is, therefore, a city of considerable eom- 
mnercial importance. The climate is milder than that of South 
Island, and many subtropical plants are found in its parks and 
gardens. 
The restaurants furnish very good substantial meals at a cost 
of about 36 cents in our money and living is somewhat cheaper 
than with us, but one has to be on hand promptly at meal time 
or he finds the places closed. There are few places where one can 
be served at any hour of the day and still fewer are open at night. 
Even if the visitor is on hand during the prescribed hours he may, 
if somewhat late, find that most of the dishes on the menu are 
out and must content himself with what happens to be left. There 
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