MAJOR DANE'S LECTURE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIV, Issue 8928, 17 December 1887, Page 6

MAJOR DANE'S LECTURE.

At the City Hall last night Major Dane gave the last of his series of lectures, to a fairly large audieoce. The subject was "The Rainbow Land," a poetic title which he has bestowed on the Hawaiian Islands. The lecture was one of the most interesting which Major Dane has delivered in Auckland. The life and scenery in •' The Rainbow Land " seemed to have powerfully impressed the fervid imagination of the lecturer, and the resnlt was manifest in the glowing and enthusiastic descriptions whioh he "* gave to his hearers. He opened by giving a historical resume of the country from its discovery to the present day. Sixtysix years had made surprising changes upon these islands. There was now a good liberal Government, with a well-educated native at its head, with 200 schools scattered over five of the islands, conducted by 200 teachers, with over 9000 scholars. They had an excellent postal syßtem, and diplomats relations with the world. Seventy, eight sugar plantations, covering many miles of territory, sent their product to all parts of the world. He referred to the great success of Clans Spreoklea in raising cane and producing from six to seven tons of sugar per acre on a tract of 6000 acres of what was but a few years back a sandy plain. Spreckles had gone there a poor German peasant boy and laboured with the natives until he had familiarised himself with the country. He saved his wages, went to California, scoured the aid of capitalists, and, returning, bought up what appeared a barren waste, where rain was never known to fall. Thirty-five miles from his purchased land, where mountains towered and rain fell every day in the year, he built two reservoirs and constructed ditches to carry the water to the sandy soil, Where he ploughed, fertilised and planted, and attained results that were marvellous in the production of sugar. He also dwelt upon the immense cattle, horse, and sheep ranches, and spoke of the fertility of the soil that produced such immense crops of rice and colfee. The Approach to the islands was described as very beautiful 3 Honolulu was a lovely spot, and the climate was balmy and exhilarating. The waterfalls were most vividly pourtrayed by the lleoturer. In one spot he described where 20 falls or cascades in the moonlight revealed hundreds of bridal veils far surpassing any he had ever seen on any of his travels, and fragments of rainbows re» splendently shone in broken spots from various directions in the mist. A wonderfully picturesque description was also given of the great crater of Hnleakilau, and of the morning mists which at; sunrise hid the lauds below them. The lecture was replete with inoident and description, and the applause was frequent and hearty.