Obituary. xi 
These two brief quotations from the report must suffice to show the 
magnitude of Hector's share of the work of the expedition. During the 
winter of 1857-58 he mapped the whole of the North Saskatchewan, from 
Carlton to Rocky Mountain House, a distance of nearly 9? of longitude. 
In his Senn was the making of the maps, geographical as well as 
geologi 
Before returning to England Hector made a geological examination of 
Vancouver Island, and of the cnt adn of British Columbia and California, 
as well as of some of the mines of northern Mexico. 
On his return to England he ected the gold medal of the Royal 
Geographical Society. He received also, again at the instance of Sir 
Roderick Murchison, two offers of appointment: the first as Geologist 
at Kashmir, holding also the position of Political Agent, with large emolu- 
ments ; the second as Geologist to the Provincial Government of Otago, 
with no extravagant emoluments. There is no need to say which Hector 
chose. 
Arrived in New Zealand, he at once set about making a thorough 
exploration, especially from the point of view of geology, of the mountainous 
districts and the sounds of the province, work that was accomplished with 
great difficulty and hardship. In 1864 he was commissioned to make a 
tour of the colony in order to determine how its resources could best be 
demonstrated at the Exhibition, the first of its kind in New Zealand, to 
b in Dunedin in the following year. 
In 1865 he was appointed Director of the Geological Survey Department 
of the colony. With the small staff of assistants that could be afforded, 
he rapidly pushed on a geological survey of the country. Recognized as 
the adviser of the Government on practically all scientific matters, he had, 
unfortunately, to devote much time to work that hindered that which he 
had most at heart. Whilst the work of administration and advice was most 
efficiently done, he was still able to find time for an immense amount of 
most useful original scientific research. We may be pardoned if we give 
a high place to the founding of the New Zealand Institute, in 1868, among 
the achievements of this period of his life. From the foundation of the 
Institute he was for thirty-five years its Manager, and the Editor of its 
Transactions, doing this and much more as a labour of love, and so 
establishing a high tradition in its service. The Transactions, the reports 
of his Department, parliamentary papers, bulletins—all show the results 
of his untiring industry. It may safely be said that, among all the able 
workers that New Zealand has had, none has a greater volume of achieve- 
ment, and few have reached as high a standard. 
When the first Senate of the University of New Zealand met, in 1871, 
Sir James Hector was one of its members; in 1885 he was el ected 
Chancellor, holding that office until his retirement in 1903. In this office 
he was able to render much service to the cause of higher education in New 
aland. 
An idea of the high esteem in which his scientific work was held may be 
had from the fact that the following honours, among others, were conferred 
upon him :— 
: In 1857 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Physical Society. In 
1860 he became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, and of the 
Geological Society, London. In 1866 he was elected a Fellow of the Roval 
Society of London. In 1874 he received from the German Emperor, by 
permission of the New Zealand Government, the Order of the Golden Cross. 
