486 



NEW ZEALAND 



Island is little broken except in the mirth-east 

 ami south west comers, where the country is nioiin- 

 tainouH ; hut the volcanic projections of liunks 

 and Otago iM'iiinsulas supply commodious harUmrs, 

 which have lieen greatly improved hy moles nml 

 dredging. The porto carrying on the great import 

 and e\|M,rt node of the colony are Auckland. 

 Napier, and Wellington in the North Island, and 

 Lvtteltoii, Dunedin (Port Chalmers ), tuid Bluff 

 ll.-irlxiur in the South Island. Coasting teamers 

 call at numerous minor \*\-. the chief being, in 

 the North Island, the Hay of Islands, Tanranga, 

 Gisborne, Fox ton, Wanganui, New I'lyinouth, 

 Manukau, niul Kaipora ; and in the South 1-latnl, 

 Nelson, 1'ieton, Afcaroa, Tinin.ni, Oamaru, Hoki- 

 tika, (ireyiiiouth, and \Vest port. The harlxmrs of 

 Timaru and Oamarn consist of spacious liasins 

 enclosed by massive concrete moles. Those at 

 Greymoutli and Westport liave lieen constructed at 

 great expense at the mouths of the rivers Grey and 

 Ltuller i" facilitate the shipping of the excellent" 

 coal found in vast quantities in the neighbouring 

 hills. Large sums have been spent in improving 

 the harbours of the colony. 



Surface. New Zealand is composed of rocks 

 of all geological ages, and the chief mountain- 

 chains arc of great antiquity. A third of the 

 North Island is covered by recent volcanic rocks 

 and their debris. Both islands are mountainous, 

 but this is especially true of the South Island. 

 Each is traversed by a great mountain-chain 

 running in a north-east and south-west direction, 

 which practically divides them into an eastern and 

 a western side, between which traffic is mainly 

 carried on by sea. In the North Island the east 

 and west sides are connected by two railways, one 

 of them passing through the beautiful Maiiawatu 

 Gorge, and also by a coach-road passing over the 

 ranges west of Hawke Bay. Resting on the main 

 chain of the North Island on its west side lies a 

 vast triangular plateau, the eastern border of which 

 constitutes the volcanic belt of New Zealand. On 

 this stand up two extinct volcanoes the majestic 

 cone of Mount Egmont, near the west coast, and the 

 massive Kuapehu (!)195 feet) in the centre, with 

 the active cone of Tongariro hard by. The latter 

 still gives nil' -tram and smoke, but has not ejected 

 lava in historic times. In this plateau the chief 

 rivers of the North Island take their rise. The 

 Waikato, the largest ami longest, pa es through 

 the lieaut ifu! Lake Taupo, and at length flows out 

 on the west coast. A few of the rivers are navi- 

 gable for small vessels in their lower course. The 

 North Island contains many extensive plains of 

 low elevation and remarkable fertility, besides 

 large areas of fern-clad or grassy hills well fitted 

 for occupation. The favourable climate renders 

 even the upland plateaus capable of close settle- 

 ment. The lietler lands of the South Island are 

 now mostly taken up, though far from closely 

 settled, but in the North Island there remain vast 

 tiai-ts of excellent land waiting to lie cleared and 

 occupied. Much of it belongs to the natives, who 

 are no longer reluctant to sell their lands at a fair 

 price. Two thirds of the South Island is covered 

 by the broad and lofty chain of the Southern Alps, 

 and it* eastern and southern offshoots. It cul- 

 minates in Mount Cook, towering to a height of 

 12,349 feet amid many other snow-clad peaks, and 

 mantled by glaciers of* greater magnitude than any 

 in the Alp- of Europe. This elevated region is 

 penctratexl hy the great valleys of the numerous 

 rivers (lowing away to the east and south. These 

 have all a rapid fall, -i: liable to sudden Hoods. 

 and being snow-fed have a much larger volume in 

 summer ih.-iu in winter. Their valleys sometimes 

 open out into extensive upland plains liaving a hot, 

 dry summer, and a sharp but bright winter. The 



principal rivers are the Huller, \Vnimakariri, 

 \Vaitaki, Clulha, ami Waian. The chief lowlands 

 of the South Island lie to the east and south of the 

 main chain. The vast Canterbury plains, in many 

 pai Is of great fertility, skirt the east emi-t, and 

 the Southlands plain, equally extensive, lies be- 

 tween the mountains of (it ago ami the south 

 C.M-I. Much of the east and south-east seaUiard 

 and interior is occupied by fertile downs and low 

 hills. The west eoa-t consists of a narrow l>elt of 

 low land clothed with ini|>enetrahle forest, save 

 when- miners and farming settlers have made 

 clearings, and where the broad rivei bed- come 

 down to the sea. A coach-rood passes over the 

 main chain at a height of 3000 feet, connecting 

 ( 'anlerbury and Westland, and a railway was in 1S!K) 

 in course of construction along the same picturesque 

 but dillieult route. In the North Island much of 

 the finest land is covered by forests of tropical 

 luxuriance, which ascend the mountains to a height 

 of 4000 feet, but the greater iiatt of the South 

 Island is very scantily supplied with timber, and 

 mountains and lowlands alike are O|H>II and well 

 groaned, yielding good pasture even in their natural 

 condition. The great ]H?ninsiilu north of Manukau 

 liarliour dill'ers from the rest of New Zealand in 

 enjoying a humid semi tropical climate. Much of 

 this region is admirably lilted for cottage hus- 

 bandry, and the fruits of the wanner latitudes 

 grow in great abundance ami perfection. Settlers 

 ran here live like the peasantry of Spain and Italy, 

 growing (lowers for perfumes, mai/e. figs, olives, 

 giapes. oranges, lemons, mullierrics, and other 

 tender fruits. This district is the home of the 

 noble kauri pine, ant! supplies most of the kauii 

 gum brought to the market. The numerous inlets 

 and the large Woirou Kiver give ready access to the 

 best of the land. 



I'/niuite. The climate of New Zealand is one of 

 the l>est and healthiest in the world. The rate of 

 mortality has lieen decreasing for a number of 

 years, and is now as low as 9^04 per thousand. 

 Diseases from malaria are unknown. Owing to 

 the great length of the islands the climate presents 

 considerable variety, and the direction of the moun- 

 tain-chains increases the difference due to latitude 

 alone. The average temperature is remarkably 

 equable at all seasons, and the air is singularly 

 fresh, being constantly agitated by winds that blow- 

 over a boundless expanse of ocean. The climate is 

 such as Italy would have if it were 1000 miles from 

 the nearest "continent. The average daily range of 

 temperature is 20. The average annual tempera- 

 ture of the North Islam! }-l . and of the South Island 

 4 , higher than that of London. Near the western 

 seaboard the climate is more equable and much 

 moister than on the long eastern and northern 

 slope-. More rain falls than in England, and the 

 weather is generally more changeable, but there 

 an' fewer wet days. The country is everywhere 

 well watered, and prolonged drought! are unknown. 

 Snow seldom falls even in the southern lowlands, 

 and it usually melts in a day. The mildness of t he 

 winter al low's cattle and horses to remain in the 

 fields it In nit shelter, and even in the south dairy 

 cows are housed at night only for a few mouths. 

 The prevailing winds blow from the south west and 

 are often chilly and Inusterous. Other winds ore 

 light, with fine weather ; but tierce gales are often 

 experienced near Cook Strait and along the 

 eastern edge of the plateau-like offshoots of the. 

 Southern Alps. 



Scenery. For variety, picturesnneness, and wild 

 grandeur, the scenery of New Zealand is unrivalled 

 in the southern hemisphere, and the colony is 

 rapidly Woming to Australia and the far East 

 what Switzerland is to Europe. In the North 

 Island is the wonderland of the volcanic belt, 



