OBITUARY

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3132, 10 July 1917, Page 4

OBITUARY

MR. ALEXANDER M'KAY,

The death occurred on Sunday of Mr.Alexander M'Kay, * F.G.S., formerly geologist to the Mines Department, ine late Mr. M'Kay had a reputation as a geologist which extended far beyond J>ew Zealand. Hβ was born at lurkcudbnght'shive, Scotland, and came to New Zealand in 1863, landing at tho Bluft Ironi the ship Helcnslee. T?or some time, he followed the occupation of a gold miner in Otago and at Wakamavino, after wuicli he went to Australia and worked on the New South Wales and Queensland diggings. 'In 18GG lie returned to NewZealand, and for the next four years was engaged iu exploring and prospecting tho south-west part of the Mackenzie Country, where he conducted explorations alone and at all seasons, and was known as "the wild man of the Mackenzie Country-" Incidentally he claimed to bo the first man who refrigerated meat ! in New Zealand, having in this manner preserved for long periods _tem mutton and game in the glaciers or the Southern Alps. In IS6S. he became acquainted with Dr. (afterwards Sir Julics) von Haast, who was then founding tbo Canterbury Museum, and ™nlnbiited largely to Mβ enrichment. In 1810 ™ was engaged prospecting for coal at Ashlev Gorge, Canterbury, where he again met Dr. von Haast, who engaged him as his assistant in prosecuting some geological surveys which he was carrying out for the New Zealand Government. After exploring the central mountain region of Canterbury and the Shag Point coalfields, the expedition returned to Chnstchurch, and later Mr. M'Kay explored and made large coUections from the faiman bede in the middle Waipara district, North Canterbury. In 1872 he explored and ex"d in the "Moa Bone Cave,' near. Sumner, Canterbury. At the end <f the vear the late Dr. (afterwards Sir .Tames) Hector was in Christcknrch, and noting the additions to the Museum of .he, fossil saurians from Waipara, engaged Mr. M'Kay to make a collection, at Amuri Blufi, of similar remains for the geological survey. . This work he finished in March, 1873, and brought back to Wellington a very large collection of rare and valuable fossils that are now a most interesting 'feature of the Dominion Museum. / Also, in the end or 1873 he made a geological survey ot tne southern part of Otago, and, in tho early mrt of 1874, of part of the West Coast goldfields, besides accompanying Lr. Hector to the Bast Coast of Auckland Province, and examining the country from Gisborne to the mouth of _ the Waipao Eiver. Then ho appointed a permanent officer of the Geological Department, in which capacity lie made and published full details of the result cf surveys of many districts. In 1892 lie was appointed Mining Geologist, which he held until his retirement Lme vears a"0. The late Mr. M Kay wJs a-lellow of the Royal Geographical Society and of several other learned saciet es. He contributed .many ™ l ™ bl e papers to the "Transactions of the New Zealand Institute." The late Mr. -M Kay was the inventor of the telephotoUei s, which is considered to.be one of the most important discoveries made in connection with photography. Mr. M'Kay, who was 7G years of age, leaves a widow and two sons-Mr. Duncan M'lCav, F.N.Z.A.A.. Wellington, end°jS. Vffl&m of the Doniinion Museum staff. He was twice manwl.