1919.] 
New Zealand Institute Science Congress. 
295 
petrographer. A mineral museum may also form part of the equipment. 
All the surveys make a specialty of economic geology, and as a rule not 
much attention is given to detailed geological mapping of non-mineral areas. 
Such work as is done on purely scientific lines, without an immediate visible 
economic object, is in most cases pretty obviously a labour of love, is 
probably done largely by working overtime, and is suffered rather than 
encouraged by the controlling political authorities. Several of the Aus¬ 
tralian Surveys have undergone violent vicissitudes. This applies particu¬ 
larly to the Geological Survey of Victoria, which in its early years, under 
A. R. C. Selwyn, made some excellent detailed surveys, of a character not 
since surpassed in any part of Australasia. 
The organization of the South Australian Geological Survey is unusual. 
It is controlled, as usual,, by the Minister of Mines, and is in charge of Mr. 
L. Keith Ward, who is styled “ Director of Mines and Government Geo¬ 
logist.” He is also Supervisor of Boring Operations, and a Warden under 
the Mines Act. Mr. Ward’s geological staff is a small one, consisting of an 
assistant geologist and a draughtsman. In 1913 he defined the objects of 
the survey as the systematic examination of the geology of South Australia, 
the investigation of economic problems, the guidance of those endeavouring 
to develop natural resources, the publication of the various investigations 
(with maps, &c.), and the making of type collections. 
Neiv Zealand. 
Hochstetter’s investigations of 1858-59 may be regarded as the first 
official geological work done in New Zealand, for it was carried out at the 
expense of the Auckland and Nelson Provincial Governments. Soon after, 
Surveys were established in Otago, Canterbury, and Wellington provincial 
districts, under James Hector, Julius von Haast, and J. C. Crawford respec¬ 
tively. In 1865 Hector was appointed as the first Director of the Geological 
Survey of New Zealand, a position that he filled until his retirement in 
1903. For many years, with the assistance of E. H. Davis, S. H. Cox, 
F. W. Hutton, Julius von Haast, Alexander McKay, James Park, William 
Skey (chemist), John Buchanan (botanist and draughtsman), and others, 
the Survey flourished, but gradually Government support waned, and after 
1893 practically the whole burden of field-work rested on the shoulders of 
McKay, Hector being fully occupied with his duties as Director of the 
Colonial Museum, Manager of the New Zealand Institute, &c., whilst other 
members of the regular staff had resigned to take outside appointments, 
and their places remained unfilled. 
Up to the time of Hector’s retirement the Geological Survey, Colonial 
Museum, and Colonial Laboratory formed a harmonious whole, but a com¬ 
plete separation of the three institutions now took place.* 
At the end of 1904 J. M. Bell was appointed Director of the Geo¬ 
logical Survey, a position that he held till 1911. The organization and 
scheme of geological work introduced by Dr. Bell have endured to the 
present time, but there have been great variations in the strength and 
* The official history of the early Geological Survey and its branches is not easy to 
trace. At the end of 1885 or the beginning of 1886 the Geological Survey was trans¬ 
ferred from the control of the Colonial Secretary to that of the Minister of Mines. 
Probably the Museum was also transferred, for in 1892 the Meteorological and Museum 
branch was formed. This in the year 1902-3 was transferred to the Colonial Secretary’s 
Department. The Laboratory remained part of the Mines Department until 1909-10, 
when it was transferred to the Department of Internal Affairs. 
