OUR OWN LAND.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 559, 14 July 1909, Page 3

OUR OWN LAND.

LBCTUEE BY THE HON. T. MACKENZIE. ' The large Town Hall was • very well filled last evoningwhen the Hon./T. Mackenzie, IYR.G.S., Minister for Agriculture, delivered,. oh behalf of the Boys' Institute, a lecture entitled "New Zealand: Our Own Laud, the Brightest and Best." -The lecture was all the more interesting from the fact that Mr. Mackenzie was able to spenk from his own experiences as an explorer. audience included a large proportion of ■' youngi folks. . ' . ... . • The Mayor (Dr. A. K. ; Newman) said he was very glad to ttike the chair for the Boys' Institute, as it was doing a very, good :work in the, city, among lads who might otherwise go astray. ..The Hon. Mr. Mackenzie, who : was an old friend of his, had explored and named four mountain passes in New Zealand, and many lakes, rivers, mountains, and crfieks. ' : The Garrison Band, under the,baton of Lieut. Herd, then plaved a naval fantasia entitled "A Sailor's Life." :.". . The lecturer briefly sketched the natural formation of New Zealand; and declared that there was no country under:heaven'in .which the human race had better chances of .living in happiness • and prosperity. He then gave a brief account : of the explorations of some parts of the interior of Otago by:Mr, James M Kerrow, between 1861 ana 1863. The discovery by Quinton MacKinnon of the pass between the Cold Lakes .and Milford Sound, in 1867 i was told by Mr. Mackenzie, as a participator in the incidents narrated. The hardehiia • oi to* eislorar's life woio

vividly described, and a humorous 1 touch was added, when the lecturer emphasised the frequently shabby and depleted . state of the explorer's wardrobe ■by recalling that quite lately an old lady in Otago had reminded nini.that the• last time he met her (on an ■ exploring: tour) ■he had borrowed her husband's shirt.. Mr. ; Mackenzie's ; section of the- party that set put to find. Jfa'cKinnon raced the other section to telegraph- to Dunedin the first news of the discovery, of the pass , and the measuring of the. Sutherland, Falls—and won by M hours. .Next, ..the lecturer paid an eloquent tribute to the intrepid men who had lost their lives in the task of discovcry-Quin-ton MacKinnon, sleeping beneath the cold waters of •Tβ Anaui Main waring Brown, whose resting place was a secret of' the Matterhorn; Quill, w.ho met-his death by falling over a lofty precipice; and- .young Raymond, who perished naked on the. shores of an island, which he had reached after an arduous ewim for life, The lecture was-evidently thoroughly enjoyed by the- audionce. r : .:'•■■- '■■, A series of. admirable lantern slides were then shown by Mr. Macdonald, of the Tourist Department. The subjects were New Zealand scenery, chiefly among • the mountains, lakes, glaoiers, and sounds of Otago. The Hon. A. T. Ngata recited in a very expressive manner his original poem entitled "Scenes from the Past," describing typical incidents of ancient Maori life. The recital was followed by long and. loud applause, and Mr. Ngata then recited Scott's "Breathee there a man with soul so dead." ; On the proposition of Mr. JameeM'Kerrow, who was '.called upon by the Mayor as one of the'early explorers of Otago, a vote of thanks to the two Ministers, and others who had assisted in .the entertainment, was carried with enthusiasm. ■

A series of the Tourist- Department's kine-. matograph films, including one of the Arnst-' Webb boat race, was the last feature of the entertainment. .