Picturesque New Zealand

by David Paul Gooding

PICTURESQUE
NEW ZEALAND

BY

PAUL GOODING

WITH ILLUSTRATIONS FROM
PHOTOGRAPHS

BOSTON AND NEW YORK

HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY

The Riverside Press Cambridge

1913

COPYRIGHT, 1913, BY PAUL GOODING

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Published October 1913

TO MY FATHER
MILES GOODING

PREFACE

The main purpose of this book is to offer the public, and especially American readers, an intimate picture of New Zealand and its people, by one who has thrice visited its captivating shores. It is not intended as a guide-book, and mention of many places of interest more local than general is omitted in preference to the most important attractions. Nothing has been sacrificed, however, that would embarrass the author in his effort to describe the natural wonders and beauties of a country unique in geographical location, structural formation, history, and present-day conditions.

Concerning this country's sociological and industrial conditions, in themselves so large a subject, only a brief reference is made, for these matters deserve to be treated in a separate volume. The purpose of the chapters following is to afford a panoramic view, if that expression may be used, of the group of islands that constitute New Zealand, and that form far-flung outposts of the British Empire.

I take pleasure in acknowledging my indebtedness to the following sources of information:—

New Zealand Official Year Book.

School History of New Zealand, Frederick J. Moss.

Hawaiki, S. Percy Smith.

The Maori Race, E. Tregear.

The Maoris of New Zealand, James Cowan.

History and Traditions of the Maoris, Thomas Wayth Gudgeon.

Maori Customs and Superstitions, John White.

Suggestions for a History of the Origin and Migrations of the Maori People, Judge Francis Dart Fenton.

New Zealand, James Cowan.

Geological writings of S. Percy Smith Professor James Park, and Professor A. P. W. Thomas.

Plants of New Zealand, Laing and Blackwell.

Manual of the New Zealand Flora, T. F. Cheeseman.

Forest Flora of New Zealand, T. Kirk.

Nature Notes, Professor J. Drummond.

New Zealand Lakes and Fiords, New Zealand Government.

Royal Commission's Report on Kauri Gum.

The Labor Laws of New Zealand, New Zealand Government.

Awards, Recommendations, Agreements, etc. (under Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act), New Zealand Government.

I am also grateful to many state officials for their readiness in supplying me with information.

P. G.

CONTENTS
CHAPTER I
A Continent in Miniature—A Near-Utopia and Corrected Misconceptions concerning it—A Busy Democracy—Political New Zealand		1
CHAPTER II
Characteristics of the New Zealander—Former Cannibals who have become Good Citizens		33
CHAPTER III
Travel in New Zealand—Government and Tourist—Slow Express—State Railways		54
CHAPTER IV
Entering the Long Bright World—Ashore in Auckland—Reminders of America—Shops and Shopping		62
CHAPTER V
The Thermal Wonderland—Rotorua—The Haka and the Poi—A Strange Outdoor Kitchen—Whakarewarewa's Geysers—Pantomime in a Maori Cooking Reserve—Wonderful Hamurana—Gloomy Tikitere—The Long Swim of Hinemoa—The Cold Lakes		78
CHAPTER VI
The Buried Country—Earthquakes—The World's Greatest Geyser—A Hot Lake—The Wonders of Waiotapu		103
CHAPTER VII
Pulsating Wairakei's Geyser Valley—The Devil's Trumpet—The Geysers and Paint-Pots of Taupo—An Immense Crater Lake—Burning Mountains—Terrifying White Island		117
CHAPTER VIII
Weird Waitomo's Beautiful Caves—Glowworm Grotto		132
CHAPTER IX
Down New Zealand's Rhine—Far-famed Wanganui—Amorous Taranaki		137
CHAPTER X
New Zealand's Hilly Capital—A Win for American Literature—Hunting an Art Gallery—Welcome and Unwelcome Immigrants—A Polite Conductor—Memories of the Renowned Seddon		149
CHAPTER XI
The Sea of the Greenstone—Two Mistakes—Christchurch—Horse-Racing and Gambling—Drunkards' Islands		159
CHAPTER XII
Dunedin—Miscellaneous Ben Rudd and Flagstaff Hill—Roomy Invercargill—State Oysters—Romantic Stewart Island		167
CHAPTER XIII
Lakes and Sounds of the Lone Southwest—The Rabbit Curse—Enchanting Manapouri and Te Anau—The Finest Walk in the World—Milford Sound—New Zealand's Lucerne		178
CHAPTER XIV
Switzerland challenged—The Southern Alps—Up a Mighty Glacier—The Perverse Ski—Mountaineering by Moonlight—Within the Shadows of Mount Cook—Boiling the Billy—Over the Alps to Westland		212
CHAPTER XV
Two Beautiful Gorges—Pelorus Jack—The Marlborough Sounds		236
CHAPTER XVI
North Auckland—Up the Wairoa River—Historic Bay of Islands—Charming Whangaroa and its Celebrated Massacre—Kauri Gum—Life in the Back Blocks—Tarts and Kes—A Maori School and Zealous Pupils		245
CHAPTER XVII
Wonderful Forests—The Strangling Rata and the Lordly Kauri—The Flaming Pohutukawa—Cabbage Trees—The Bowing Toitoi		264
CHAPTER XVIII
Unusual Zoology—The Gigantic Moa—Interesting Birds of To-day—A Land of Many Fishes—The Long Fish of Maui		271
CHAPTER XIX
A Great Maori Carnival—Interviewing a Much-Married Prophet—In a Hauhau Village—A Call on King Mahuta		279
INDEX

ILLUSTRATIONS

	photographer	page
The Right Hon. Richard John Seddon, P.C., thirteen years Prime Minister⁠	Muir & Moodie	Frontispiece
Mount Cook from the Hooker River	Muir & Moodie	2
A Tattooed Maori	Josiah Martin	8
The Right Hon. Sir Joseph George Ward, Bart., P.C, K.C.M.G.	Muir & Moodie	18
The Hot Water Basins, White Terrace	Muir & Moodie	22
Head of Lake Wakatipu, from Pigeon Island	Muir & Moodie	28
Maori Meeting House	Muir & Moodie	34
Maori Warrior	Josiah Martin	38
A Maori Village	Josiah Martin	42
Maori Wahine with Mat of Kiwi Feathers and Pendent Heitiki	Iles	50
Government House, Auckland	Muir & Moodie	56
Auckland from Mount Eden	Josiah Martin	62
Queen Street, Auckland	Muir & Moodie	66
Albert Park, Auckland	Muir & Moodie	70
Maori Carvings	Muir & Moodie	74
Main Bath House, Rotorua	Muir & Moodie	80
Poi Dance	N. Z. Govt., Tourist Dept.	84
The Ducal Haka, Rotorua	Muir & Moodie	88
The Inferno Tikitere	Josiah Martin	98
Pink Terrace	Muir & Moodie	104
Waimangu Geyser	Muir & Moodie	110
Champagne Caldron	Muir & Moodie	118
Lake Taupo from Motutere	Muir & Moodie	122
Ngauruhoe in Action	Muir & Moodie	126
Aranui Cave	N. Z. Govt., Tourist Dept.	132
Wanganui River	Josiah Martin	138
London, Wanganui River	Muir & Moodie	144
Mount Egmont from Hawera	Muir & Moodie	146
Wellington Water Front	Muir & Moodie	150
Town Hall, Wellington	Muir & Moodie	154
Christchurch Cathedral	Josiah Martin	160
Christchurch from Cathedral	Muir & Moodie	164
Dunedin	Muir & Moodie	168
The Boys' High School, Dunedin	Muir & Moodie	170
Invercargill	Muir & Moodie	174
Lake Manapouri and Cathedral Peaks	Muir & Moodie	178
Safe or Happy Cove, Head of Lake Te Anau	Muir & Moodie	182
Milford Track Bush Scene	Muir & Moodie	186
Clinton Canyon from McKinnon's Pass	Muir & Moodie	192
Mitre Peak, Milford Sound	Muir & Moodie	200
The Lion, Milford Sound	Muir & Moodie	202
Queenstown and the Remarkables	Muir & Moodie	206
Section of the Alps and Tasman Glacier	Muir & Moodie	216
Cutting steps on Ice Face, Tasman Glacier	Muir & Moodie	224
Mount Sefton and the Footstool	Muir & Moodie	232
Otira Gorge, West Coast Road	Muir & Moodie	236
Buller Gorge, Hawk's Crag	Muir & Moodie	240
Wainia Falls	N. Z. Govt., Tourist Dept	250
Gum Diggers at Work in Kauri Forest	Josiah Martin	256
A Giant Kauri	Josiah Martin	268
Kiwi and Egg	Josiah Martin	274
A Tattooed Maori with Huia Feathers in Hair	Muir & Moodie	280
A Hongi	Josiah Martin	282
Women's Canoe Hurdle	Josiah Martin	286
At the Finish Line	Josiah Martin	288
Rua and Four of his Wives	J. Macquarters	294
Te Kooti's House	Josiah Martin	310
"King" Mahuta		316
Map of New Zealand		Inside of covers