MR HATCH'S LECTURE.

Evening Star, Issue 9807, 21 September 1895, Page 4

MR HATCH'S LECTURE.

Mr Joseph Hatch, of Invercargill, gave -a, most interesting address at the Princess’s Theatre last night on ‘The Macquaries : Bevond tho Reach of Civilisation.’ His audience, though not very large, was attentive and appreciative, and throughout the evening they were most generous in the applause they bestowed upon the many splendid views that wore shown. Starting from the Bluff, Mr Hatch took his audience across to Stewart Island, and from there to the Macquarie Islands. Some splendid coastal scenery was thrown on the canvas, and then followed a number of views of penguins, not in small groups, but in gatherings of millions, and one picture gave a bird’s-eye view of an area of fifty acres covered with penguins—fully ten millions of them. Someof thepeculiar habits of the birds were described. The next pictures showed a few of the buildings erected by Mr Hatch on the islands for tho reception of boilers and digesters, which are used for the purpose of extracting oil from the penguins. The trade in oil, the lecturer says, is not what it was twenty years ago. In those days prices for it ruled high, but now, from various causes, the profits are small. Mr Hatch ridicules the idea that his operations on the islands will cause the penguins to become extinct, and he makes out for himself a very good case. Passing down the west coast of the islands, other views of rookeries of penguins were shown, also groups of those majestic birds, the king penguins, and later on a rookery of nellies was thrown on the screen. These birds, and also the sea hawks, cause the destruction in the hatching season of an immense number of penguin eggs. Other views of the Macquaries were exhibited, and the audience were next taken to the Campbell, Antipodes, and Auckland Islands, and also to the Snares. Some capital pictures of sea elephants and sea lions were shown. Among other views given during the evening were Mount Elder at the Macquaries (named after Mr Elder, of George street), the wreck of the Derry Castle, a few of the survivors of the ill-fated General Grant, and some exceedingly pretty scenery on the Antipodes. Mr Hatch closed his lecture by showing views of Invercargill and a picture of the children taken from Mrs Dean’s house when she was arrested* This afternoon a matinee was given for children, and a very large number of juveniles took advantage of the lecture.

To-night, Mr Hatch will repeat his lecture, and anyone who patronises the entertainment will be surprised not only at the many interesting pictures the lecturer possesses, but also at the large amount of original information which ho gives concerning these comparatively little-known islands.