New Zealand 



BY LYMAN LEE, B.A. 



Mead before the Hamilton Scwntific Association, 

 May 7th, 1908 



In conversatiou with a prominent member of this 

 Association some time ago, we came to the conclusion that 

 it would prove of educative value to the members if we 

 could have a series of papers on the various parts of the 

 British Empire, and we both came to the decision that 

 New Zealand was perhaps the most interesting colon}^ on 

 which to make the first experiment. I have never visited 

 this colony. My information is all derived from books. 

 In fact, this paper is chiefly a compilation from an interest- 

 ing and important book written by Prof. Frank Parsons, a 

 lecturer in the Boston University School of Law, and 

 called '' The Story of New Zealand," and being a histor}^ 

 of New Zealand from the earliest times to the present with 

 special reference to the political, industrial and social 

 development of this Island Commoaw^ealth. This book 

 w^as written in 1904. 



New Zealand consists of three islands, two large and 

 one small. Taking the islands as a group they are a little 

 larger than Great Britain. Their extreme length is about 

 1000 miles running almost north and south. They extend 

 from the 35th to the 48th degree south latitude. 



A range of mountains extends along the western coast 

 of the middle island. There are ranges of lofty mountains 

 in the central part of the northern island and a number of 

 volcanic peaks, some active and some extinct. In this 

 middle region of the northern island there is a district 

 about 30 miles wide and 100 miles long, which contains 

 many hot springs, geysers, pools of boiling mud, volcanic 



