Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 17.djvu/509

NEW ZEALAND 467 plains lie on the eastern side. The rugged western slopes are rich in mineral wealth. On the south-western coast there are several fiords or sounds, long, narrow, and deep, surrounded by snow-capped mountains from 5000 to 10,000 feet in height. The scenery, especially in Milford Sound, is sublime. Rivers. There are countless running streams of the purest water throughout New Zealand, but not many rivers of depth and size. The Waikato is the chief river in the North Island. Its tortuous course is over 200 miles long, and it is joined by a fine tributary, the Waipa, at Ngaruawahia. The Waikato rises in the central part of the island, and flows into the sea on the west coast south of the Manukau. The Wairoa, discharging itself into Kaipara harbour, is large and deep, and is navigable for vessels of considerable tonnage. In the South Island, the chief river is the Clutha, rising north of Lake Wanaka, and 220 miles in length. It flows into the sea about 50 miles south of Otago Harbour, and a calculation has been made that it discharges 1,088,736 cubic feet of water a minute. Rivers in New Zealand have bars at their mouths, and are, with two or three exceptions, only navigable for small craft. Owing to the height and the preci pitous nature of the mountain ranges, the rivers, especially in the South Island, are subject to sudden and dangerous floods. Lakes. The lakes in New Zealand are a characteristic feature. Lake Taupo, in the central part of the North Island, covers an area of about 250 square miles. In its neighbourhood, and in a line between it and White Island, in the Bay of Plenty, which is in constant volcanic action, there is the famous Lake District with its wonderful collection of geysers, sulphurous springs, palatial terraces, and lovely natural baths, formed as it were of tinted marble, and full of warm transparent water of a beautiful blue colour. Nor are these waters only astonishing to the sightseer. Their curative properties in cases of rheumatism, scorbutic and tubercular diseases, cutaneous eruptions, and nervous affec tions are well established. In the South Island there are numerous lakes, some of them of considerable extent, Lake Wakatipu covering 112 and Lake Te Anau 132 square miles. These and many others embosomed in the Southern Alps are scenes of great natural beauty, abound with objects of interest, and present strong attractions to the explorer and the tourist. oast- The coast-line is over 3000 miles. Cook Strait separates ne - the two large islands, and Foveaux Strait separates the South Island from Stewart Island. Both straits greatly facilitate inter-navigation. The coastal features of the northern part of the North Island are remarkable. The waters of Auckland Harbour on the eastern side and of Manukau Harbour on the western side approach each other within a mile. A great number of natural harbours are included between the North Cape and Cape Colville. The harbours on the west coast of the North Island have shift ing bars at the entrance ; but Manukau, Kaipara, and Hokianga are excellently surveyed, and can, with due caution, be safely entered. Inside they are spacious and fine. Auckland and Wellington have excellent natural harbours. The South Island on its north side, from Cape Farewell to Cape Campbell, is indented with numerous good harbours ; and on the eastern coast, Port Lyttelton, Akaroa, Port Chalmers, and the Bluff are all available for large vessels. On the south-western extremity the coast is iron-bound, but there are several deep fiords surrounded by lofty and precipitous mountains. Anchorage can rarely be obtained there, except at the head of remote coves. Northward there is Jackson s Bay ; and between it and Cape Farewell, a distance of 300 miles, there is an open and exposed coast, with seven or eight small bar river harbours at intervals. Stewart Island is only 120 miles in circumference, and has several excellent harbours on its eastern side. There are some anchorages on the western side, but they are rather exposed to the prevailing westerly winds. Meteorological statistics are collected at Auckland, Climate. Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin ; and observa tions of rainfall, temperature, and wind-direction are re ceived from thirty other stations. From the data thus obtained an isobaric map and a report are prepared for each day ; and weather warnings are telegraphed to any part of the coast when necessary. A system of inter colonial weather exchanges has been agreed upon, and telegrams are daily exchanged between Sydney and Wellington. In the Handbook of New Zealand (1883), Dr Hector makes the following observations : "The climate resembles that of Great Britain, but is more equable, the extremes of daily temperature only varying through out the year by an average of 20, whilst London is 7 colder than the North and 4 colder than the South Island of New Zealand. The mean annual temperature of the North Island is 57, and of the South Island 52 that of London and New York being 51. The mean annual temperature of the different seasons for the whole colony is in spring 55, in summer 63, in autumn 57, and in winter 48. The climate on the west coast of both islands is more equable than on the east, the difference between the average summer and winter temperature being nearly 4 D greater on the south-east portion of the North Island and 7 on that of the South Island than on the north-west, on which the equatorial winds impinge. This constant wind is the most important feature in the meteorology of New Zealand, and is rendered more striking by comparing the annual fluctuation of temperature on the opposite seaboards of the South Island, which have a greater range of temperature by 18 at Christchurch on the east than at Hokitika on the west." Rain is frequent. In the north the greater fall is during winter ; in the south it is more equally distributed throughout the year. There is a much greater rainfall on the west than on the east coast, especially in the South Island. The winter snow-line on the Southern Alps is 3000 feet on the east side, and 3700 feet on the west side. Periods of drought are very rare in New Zealand. Westerly winds prevail in all parts and throughout all seasons. The formation of the land, however, much modifies the winds. The configuration of New Zealand, and its extension over twelve degrees of latitude, cause considerable variety of climate in different districts. The northern half of the North Island possesses a beautiful climate, and remarkably equable ; that of the southern half is more variable. The climate of the west coast of the South Island is rainy, but temperate and salubrious ; that of other parts of the South Island is generally similar to the English, but warmer in summer and not so cold in winter. In the North Island, sheep-shearing extends from September to November, and harvesting from November to January. In the South Island, sheep-shearing is from October to January, and harvesting from December to the end of February. The following details are extracted from meteorological statistics published in the colony : Comparative Abstract for 1882 and previous Years. Temperature. Mean Rain. Baro of ! No. of Stations. meter. Mean Mean Moisture Total Days on Mean. in Daily (Satura Fall in which Shade. Range. tion Inches. Rain = 100). fell. Auckland (1882) . ... 29-965 29-954 59-3 59-4 13-1 76 76 45-630 43-179 191 188 Previous 18 years Wellington (1882) Previous 18 years Dunedin (1882) 29-900 29-921 30-037 29-833 55-4 54-8 50-9 50-4 137 77 72 76 74 55-685 51-790 41-796 34-672 166 158 187 162 Previous 18 years