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A Second Paper was read by 



A. S Cleaver, Esq., B.A., Entitled : — 



ACROSS THE NORTH ISLAND OF NEW ZEALAND 

 THROUGH THE HOT LAKE DISTRICT. 



The Hot Lake District of New Zealand lies in the province of 

 Auckland about one hundred and fifty miles south-east of the 

 city of that name, and about forty-five from the port of Taur- 

 anga ; the thermal region proper includes Lakes Rotorua, 

 Rotoiti, Rotoehu, Rotoma, Tarawera and numerous other 

 " rotos " of smaller extent. A large tract of pumice country 

 separates this from the Taupo district which is also volcanic 

 and another centre of thermal activity. The line of volcanic 

 action may be said to run almost the whole length of the North 

 Island from the north-west to the south-east corner, roughly 

 speaking, but at present I will speak more particularly of that 

 part which is called " The Hot Lake district of New Zealand." 



Leaving Auckland by train, the country we passed through did 

 not present any features worthy of special notice, except perhaps 

 the land had a more English look than any we had hitherto seen 

 in the colonies, and contrasted strongly with the monotonous 

 appearance of the Australian landscape with its forests of gum 

 trees and large fenced paddocks covered with stumps of dead 

 trees and fallen timber. Hedgerows and furze bushes were here 

 common, green fields and rich corn lands lay stretched out 

 under an azure sky, the stillness of the scene was broken every 

 now and then by the soft notes of the lark, and but for the 

 absence of the village scenes with the weather-beaten church 

 and graveyard, or the white cottages of the labourers, you could 

 easily have fancied yourself going through the Midlands of 

 England or our own County Downon a summer's day. The 

 railway then passed through varied scenery along the valley of 



