386 Transactions.— Geology. 
that the majority of glaciers have no ice cascade at all, and nearly all partake 
more of the character of “ice-rapids” than “ice-falls.” As this point, 
however, is of minor importance it is not necessary to pursue it any further. 
Dr. Hector and Dr. Haast base their opinion that our last glacier period was 
in pleistocene times on the supposition that since then great subsidence has 
taken place. I will, therefore, in the first place give the reasons that have 
led me to an opposite conclusion, viz., that during the whole of the pleistocene 
period elevation has been more or less continuous over the greater part of 
New Zealand, and I will then give the evidence in favour of the glacier period 
having been in older-pliocene times. 
Tt is so universally acknowledged among geologists that river terraces 
prove elevation, that it is quite unnecessary for me to go over again such well 
trodden ground.* There may be some cases where, in a mountainous country, 
rock-bound lakes have been filled up before the outflowing river had cut 
down through the rocky barrier to its normal level, and where consequently 
terraces might be afterwards formed in the old lacustrine deposits as the level 
of the river was lowered, or where a stream of lava from a volcano has 
blocked up the course of a river, and thus led to a similar result ; but these are 
_exceptional cases which can always be recognized by the terraces being formed 
of stratified silt or fine sand, but never of shingle, and it cannot possibly apply 
to rivers running through plains or broad vallies. Now throughout the South 
Island of New Zealand on both sides of the Alps, and in the central portions 
of the North Island, all the rivers appear to be deeply terraced. I know, 
from personal observation, that this is the case with the rivers of Southland, 
with the Aorere in Golden Bay, and with the Waipa and Waikato in the 
province of Auckland. Dr. Haast describes the same thing with the rivers 
flowing into the Canterbury Plains. (Report on Cant. Plains, Christchurch, 
1864.) Mr. Buchanan describes terraces in the vallies of the Awatere and 
Eden rivers (Geo. Reports, 1866-67, p. 41), Dr. Hector describes those of the 
west coast of the South Island (Progress Report, 1866-67, p. 29) including 
the Buller (l.c., p- 32), and also of the Mohaka (Geo. Reports, 1870-71, 
p- 160) in the province of Napier, and Dr. Hochstetter (“New Zealand,” 
p- 467) and Mr. Travers (“ Quar. Jour. Geo. Soc.,” 1866, p. 259) describe 
those of rivers in the province of Nelson. 
But there are many other proofs of recent elevation besides that afforded 
by the river terraces. The Southland plains show unmistakable marine 
action. Towards its mouth the Jacobs River runs through extensive deposits 
*Consult, inter alia, Lyell’s ‘‘ Elements of Geology,” 6th ed., pp. 118 and 120, and his 
**Student’s Elements,” p. 79; Dana’s “ Manual of Geology ;” “Geological Magazine,” 
1871, pp- 75, 190, 239, 333, 430, 526, 574; ditto, 1872, p. 48; Ramsay’s sieges 
Geology of Great Britain,” p. 109 ; Jukes and Geikie’s ‘‘ Manual of Geology,” 
