however, "richly watered, and presents clusters of fertile valleys running inland from the numerous ports, estuaries, and river harbours, which are scattered along the extensive coast-line." The hot lakes and springs, the active and extinct volcanoes and volcanic islands of Auckland, are among the most remarkable in the world.

Taranaki, formerly called New Plymouth, is a small district on the western side of the island, and its soil and climate are so fine that it is called the "Garden of New Zealand," while the magnificent volcanic cone of Mount Egmont forms, perhaps, the most striking feature in the scenery of the whole island. The district of Hawke's Bay, on the eastern side of the island, consists of rich alluvial plains and undulating hills, rising gradually from the sea coast to the Ruahine Mountains.

The district of Wellington, which includes the southernmost part of the North Island, contains some of the finest open country and undulating forest-land in the colony, but chiefly owes its importance to the geographical and political position of the city of Wellington, with its magnificent harbour-Port Nicholson on the great waterway of Cook Strait.

The Five Provincial Districts in the South Island are Nelson and Marlborough, in the north; Westland, in the west; Canterbury, in the east; and Otago, in the south.

Nelson and Marlborough occupy the northern end of the South Island. Both districts are rugged and mountainous, but there is much cultivable and grazing land in the valleys, and their coasts are deeply indented-many of the inlets being very beautiful, and some of them, such as Pelorus Sound, almost un. equalled for variety and romantic grandeur, while, in the interior, the prevailing scenery is bold and grand-lofty mountains alternating with rich and fertile valleys, dense forests, and beautiful lakes. The climate is delightful, and agriculture is successfully carried on in the valleys, but the great wealth of these districts is in their minerals, chiefly coal and gold.

The provincial district of Westland includes a long narrow strip of country on the western side of the South Island, between the Southern Alps and the sea. The climate is moist, and much of the land is covered with dense forests, while the rivers abound in fish; but the district is chiefly famous for its rich goldfields, even the sands on the seashore being impregnated with the precious metal. The much more extensive district of Canterbury includes the open country which slopes down from the Southern Alps to the eastern coast. The valleys, even in the hilly Banks' Peninsula, are in a high state of cultivation, while sheep and cattle rearing and wheat-growing are extensively carried on on the celebrated Canterbury Plains.

Otago occupies the southern part of South Island, and, though the youngest, it is now one of the most important provinces in the colony and has the largest population. Lofty mountains, with huge glaciers and alpine lakes, and an abundance of running streams, vast forests, lofty downs suitable for sheep and cattle grazing, and fertile lowlands well adapted for agriculture, distinguish this district, but Otago is chiefly remarkable for its rich goldfields, which have yielded nearly 20 million pounds' worth of the precious metal.

Stewart Island also has much mineral wealth. The black iron sand on its shores is equal to that of Taranaki, numerous quartz reefs have been found at Pegasus Bay and Port William, while extensive deposits of tin have been recently discovered.

COUNTIES: These Provincial Districts are, for purposes of local government, divided into Counties, which, in 1876, were 63 in number-32 in the North Island, 30 in the South Island, and I in Stewart Island. The number of Counties have since been increased to 81 by the subdivision of some of the larger counties.

The Counties in the North Island, 47 in number, are Mongonui, Whangaroa, Bay of Islands, Hokianga, Whangarei, Hobson, Otamatea, Rodney, Waitemata, Eden, Manukau, Coromandel, Thames, Ohinimuri, Waikato, Raglan, Waipa, Piako, Kawhia, West Taupo, East Taupo, Rotorua, Tauranga, Whakatane, Cook, and Waiapu, in the Provincial District of Auce land; Wairoa, Hawke's Bay, Kaikora North, Waipawa, and Patangata, in the Provincial District of Hawke's Bay; Clifton, Stratford, Taranaki, Hawera, and Patea, in the Provincial District of Taranaki; and Waitotara, Wanganui, Rangitikei, Oroua, Manawatu, Horowhenua, Pahiatua, Wairarapa North, Wairarapa South, Pohangina, and Hutt, in the Provincial District of Wellington.

The Counties in the South Island, 34 in number, are: Sounds, Marlborough, and Kaikoura, in the Provincial District of Marlborough; Collingwood, Waimea, Buller, Inangahua, Grey, Amuri, and Cheviot, in the Provincial District of Nelson; Westland, which includes the whole Provincial District of Westland; Ashley, Selwyn, Akaroa, Ashburton, Mackenzie, Geraldine, Levels, and Waimate, in the Provincial District of Canterbury; and Waitaki, Maniototo, Waihemo, Waikouaiti, Taieri, Peninsula, Vincent, Lake, Fiord, Wallace, Southland, Tuapeka, Bruce, Clutha, and Stewart (Stewart Island), in the Provincial District of Otago.

TOWNS: All the chief towns of New Zealand are on or near the coast, and although two-fifths of the people live in towns, there is no such concentration in one large town as in Victoria, where one-half of the people live in Melbourne, or as in New South Wales, where two-fifths of the population reside in Sydney. Recent Returns show a large increase in the town population, but even yet there are only five towns with over 10,000 inhabitants, namely, Auckland, Wellington, and Palmerston North, in the North Island, and Dunedin and Christchurch, in the South Island. WELLINGTON (59), the capital of the colony and the seat of Govern

ment, stands on the shores of a splendid natural harbour-Port Nicholson-on the northern side of Cook Strait. It lies about 1,200 miles south-east of Sydney and 1,400 miles east of Melbourne, and with both these ports, as well as with London (via Rio de Janeiro and Teneriffe on the homeward route, and via Cape Town and Hobart on the outward route), and with San Francisco, via Honolulu, there is regular steam communication. The extension of the direct steam service and the completion of the railway system of the colony, will hasten the progress of the city, and cause it to "steadily grow into her true position as the commercial and maritime as well as the political and geographical capital of the colony."

Manawatu, a tidal river navigable for small vessels for 50 miles inland; Wellington is now connected by rail with Foxton (2), a rising port on the Palmerston North, the largest inland town in the North Island; Wanganui (8), the centre and outlet of a rich agricultural and pastoral district; and New Plymouth (4), the chief town in the provincial District of Taranaki,

on the west coast, near Mount Egmont. Another line of railway runs from Wellington through Masterton (3), by Eketahuna and Woodville to Napier (9) on Hawke Bay, the chief port on the east coast of the island, and the sole port for a large grazing and timber district. Gisborne (3) is another rising port, on the shores of Poverty Bay-memorable as the scene of Cook's first landing in New Zealand.

AUCKLAND (38, with suburbs 82), the largest city in the North Island, and formerly the capital, is still the leading seaport. The "Corinth of the South Pacific," as Auckland is called, is picturesquely situated on the eastern side of a narrow isthmus, about six miles in width, and its harbour, which opens out into the beautiful Gulf of Hauraki, has sufficient depth of water for the largest ocean steamers.' Auckland is connected by rail with Onehunga (3) on Manukau Harbour, an outlet for much timber and agricultural produce, and with Helensville on the Kaipara River, and other places to the north. At Onehunga there are ironworks for smelting the iron sand which abounds on the coast. To the south, the main line has been extended up the Waikato Valley and southwards to the Taraka Plain, which lies about midway between Lake Taupo and the west coast, and the main trunk line, which will ultimately connect Auckland and Wellington, is now being constructed. A line of railway also runs from Tauranga (2), a seaport on an inlet of the Bay of Plenty-the only safe port for shelter for large vessels between Auckland and Wellington-to the heart of the famous Hot Lake District.

In the South Island, by far the largest towns are Dunedin and Christchurch. DUNEDIN (36, with suburbs 56), the "Edinburgh of New Zealand," was founded by members of the Free Church of Scotland in 1848, but did not make any great progress until the discovery of the rich goldfields in the Otago district attracted thousands of diggers, and now the city is perhaps the most important commercial centre in the colony. This "remarkably handsome town," as Trol. lope calls it, stands on the shores of a fine bay, about 9 miles above its outport -Port Chalmers-at the entrance to the same inlet (Otago Harbour). It is well built, and, like its prototype in the Northern Hemisphere, is environed by the most diversified and romantic scenery. CHRISTCHURCH (50, with suburbs 68), the chief city of the provincial district of Canterbury, is "eminently English in its appearance, architecture, and surroundings." It stands on the banks of the Avon, about 6 miles from the port of Lyttelton (4), with which it is connected by a railway tunnelled through the hills. This "City of the Plains" is the centre of the largest agricultural and pastoral district in the colony, and its port, Lyttelton, has a very large shipping trade.

Christchurch and Dunedin are on the main line of the South Island Railway, which has been extended on the north to Culverden, 70 miles north of Christchurch, and on the south to Invercargill, about 150 miles south-west of Dunedin. Invercargill is the chief town in South Otago, and does a large trade in timber, frozen meat, wool, grain, &c. It is situated on an estuary, 17 miles north of its outport, Campbelltown, on Bluff Harbour, which opens into Foveaux Strait, and with which it is connected by rail. Queenstown, on the eastern shores of Lake Wakatipu, is a favourite tourist resort, and is reached by steamer from Kingston, the present terminus of the railway from Invercargill and from Dunedin, at the south end of the lake.

1. It has been proposed to connect the port by | western side of the isthmus, which is about Ice a ship canal with the harbour of Manukau on the miles nearer to Sydney than Auckland Harbour.

Oamaru (5) and Timaru (4) are two important ports on the east coast, between Dunedin and Christchurch. At both places, artificial harbours, rendered necessary by the large export of agricultural produce, especially cereals, have been constructed.

Blenheim (3), the chief town of the district of Marlborough, in the northeast of South Island, is connected by rail with Picton, the chief port of the dis trict, at the head of Queen Charlotte Sound, the favourite rendezvous of Captain Cook, and about 50 miles distant from Wellington, on the opposite side of Cook Strait. Nelson (11) is prettily situated on the south-eastern shores of Tasman Bay, and is the terminus of the railway which runs to Greymouth (4), the "Newcastle of New Zealand," and Hokitika (3), the capital of Westland. Hokitika owes its rise to the discovery of productive goldfields in the vicinity in 1865. Its harbour, though greatly improved, is not so good as that of Greymouth, or that of Westport (3), another coal port and gold-mining centre, about 40 miles to the north of Greymouth. Westport is by far the best port on the west coast, and extensive harbour works are in progress. The breakwaters and training walls at Greymouth are also being completed, so that the port will be available at all times.

THE OFF ISLANDS.

The Off Islands of New Zealand include the Auckland Islands, Campbell Island and Macquarie Island to the south, the Antipodes Islets and Bounty Islets to the south-east, the Chatham Islands to the east, and the Kermadec Islands to the north, of the main islands.

The Auckland Islands are a group of one large and several small islands, about 200 miles south of New Zealand. The largest of them--Auckland Island -is about 30 miles in length and 15 miles in width. Along its western coast, the cliffs rise perpendicularly from the water to a height of several hundred feet, but its eastern shores are deeply indented, several of the inlets forming extensive and well-sheltered harbours. The islands are mountainous throughout, but the soi, is rich and the vegetation luxuriant; the climate, though mild and healthy, is extremely wet and stormy, and, since the whale-fishing settlement, established in 1850 by the Messrs. Enderby (to whom the British Government had granted the islands in recognition of their efforts to develop the whale fishery in the South Polar Seas), was abandoned, the group has remained unpeopled, except when they have formed the temporary refuge of shipwrecked mariners. Many disastrous wrecks have taken place upon their coasts.

Campbell Island lies about 145 miles south-east of the Auckland Islands, and over 300 miles south of South Island. It is about 36 miles in circumference, and has some good harbours, but is usually uninhabited.

Macquarie Island is as far again from New Zealand as the Auckland Islands, It is about 20 miles long, and is covered with vegetation, but is only visited by a few vessels during the seal-fishing season.

The Antipodes Islets, about 500 miles south-east of New Zealand, are remark able only as being the land nearest to the antipodes of London.

The Bounty Islets are an uninhabitable group of rocky islets, about 180 miles north of the Antipodes group.

THE OFF-ISLANDS, N.Z.-NORFOLK AND LORD HOWE IŚLANDS. 773

The Chatham Islands are situated about 536 miles to the east of Lyttleton. The largest of the three islands-Chatham Island-is 38 miles long and 25 miles broad. The first discoverer of these islands-Captain Broughton (1791) found an indigenous race, called Morioris, who, however, were nearly exterminated by the Maori settlers from New Zealand. The present population is small, only about 430, but "excessively mixed, and is said to include Morioris, Maoris, Kanakas, Negroes, Chinese, Spaniards, Portuguese, Danes, Germans, English, Irish, Scotch, and Welsh !" They support themselves by stockrearing and seal-fishing, and by supplying whaling ships and other vessels, which often call at the ports of WAITANGI or WHANGAROA, for provisions, &c. The climate is mild, and the soil generally fertile.

The Kermadec Islands, a group of islands some 600 miles to the north-east of Auckland, were formally annexed in 1887. Raoul, or Sunday Island, the largest of the group, is a rugged and wooded island, about 12 miles in circumference. Their total area is about 15 square miles, and there are only 7 inhabitants.

NORFOLK ISLAND-LORD HOWE ISLAND.

Between the Kermadec group and Australia are two other islands Norfolk Island and Lord Howe Island-both of which belong to the colony of New South Wales.

Norfolk Island is situated about 1,100 miles north-east of Sydney, and nearly midway between New Zealand and New Caledonia. This beautiful island was discovered by Captain Cook in 1774, and was subsequently used as a penal settlement. The convicts, who had brought the island into a high state of cultivation, were removed in 1855, and the British Government handed it over to the Pitcairn Islanders-the descendants of the mutineers of the Bounty-some of whom, however, returned to Pitcairn Island. The rest have now increased to about 750. They support themselves by the cultivation of the fertile soil and by the whale fishery.

Lord Howe Island is a mountainous and well-wooded island, about 5% miles in length, nearly midway between Norfolk Island and the Australian coast, and about 830 miles north-east of Sydney. The few inhabitants are connected with the whale fishery, and whaling ships call here for supplies.

Cook Islands, described on page 795, were annexed to New Zealand in 1901.