120 JOURNAL OF SCIENCE. 
The latter name is evidently incorrect, there being no “1” in the 
Maori language; while the right name, “ Hauroto,” is very 
expressive in its meaning. It is derived from two Maori words 
“hau,” windy, and “voto,” a lake or shut-in place ; and has been 
very appropriately named. The Maories, as a rule, have pithy 
and expressive denominations for localities. 
There are many corners of New Zealand as yet unvisited by 
the surveyor, the sportsman, the follower of science, or the 
tourist. What treasures nature may have hidden in these locali- 
ties are quite unknown. Huge mountain peaks, some of them 
covered with perpetual snows, have been viewed from a distance; 
but the lakes and valleys their ranges may enclose, the mineral 
veins which may permeate their rugged masses, the treasures of 
animal and vegetable life to be found on their lonely heights and 
bush-covered valleys, have yet to be ascertained by the perse- 
verance of the explorer. 
Any man who could settle in a new land in sight of unex- 
plored mountain ranges, by the banks perhaps of a river fed from 
their ever-melting, but never melted snows, and never experience 
a longing to visit them, must be sadly in want of a doctor or 
a schoolmaster. The wish to know all about the land we live in 
ought to be strong in the hearts of all colonists. Unfortunately, 
as a matter of fact, the majority of people, even in this land of 
travelled men and women, could not describe from personal 
observation the whole features of the country within a radius of 
ten miles from their own homes. 
There are, however, many of the vigorous youth and manhood 
of New Zealand who every year could get away for a few weeks’ 
exploration; and it might be well if such would form an 
Explorers’ Association. They might elect a president in each 
centre of population, whose duty it would be to suggest certain 
localities for exploration, and to indicate the nature of the search, 
scientific or otherwise, which it would be desirable to undertake. 
Such an Association, by systematic working under able direction, 
might every year gather a lot of useful information. 
The central country of the North Island, lying to the south 
of Lake Taupo, and the south-west corner of the South Island, 
are about the two least known portions of New Zealand. Not 
only was this fact a potent reason in inducing us to take a trip 
to Hauroto; but there were numerous collateral temptations 
which helped to lure us from the comforts of civilisation to rough 
it for a little in the bush. There was just a possibility of coming 
across a JVofornis ; kakapos and kiwis were known to occur ; 
there was a geographical question to settle as to the size, shape, 
and lie of this lake, and the probable occurrence of sheep-country 
was hinted at by enquiring friends ; there might be an available 
through route to the West Coast Sounds; quartz reefs and 
mineral veins were dreamed of ; and, to sum up, there were sure 
to be new finds for the botanical and zoological collector. Who 
that had a fortnight’s holiday looming ahead could devise a more 
suitable way of occupying it than in taking a trip to such a spot, 
" oe Tee nagacé ° (A gatag ee lal, Te PT ee a 
Pa 
ee 
