PIONEER BOTANIST.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17111, 17 March 1919, Page 6

PIONEER BOTANIST.

DISCOVERY OF GRAVE. The grave of Dr. Andrew St. Clair, an early New Zealand botanist, lias beon found in the bed of. the Rangitata River, says the Lyttelton Times. Ho was bom in Scotland, and arrived in New Zealand 77 years ago as it surgeon in the Royal He was appointed secretary to Captain R. Fitzroy, the second Governor of New Zealand, and, Later, the Imperial Government appointed him Colonial Secretary to the Government, a, position ho held until "the colony - was civen vespon-1 ' sible government iii< 1856. He spent most , of his leisure time in New Zealand in-1 vestigating the country'a plant life. After I botanising in the Bay of Islands, he went to the Nelson province, 'and finally went to Canterbury, where he Was the. friend of Sir Julius von Haast on a geological and botanical survey <of 3 the Southern Alps. In 1861, he tried to cross the Rangitata, and getting into difficulties, was drowned. His body was buried close, to the place where it/ : was recovered;; % He did hot publish anything, but collected a large number of plants and discovered many new specimens. The, Council ,of the Canterbury Philosophical ;: Institute, is taking stops to have ,the : grave preserved. .'■> . : ■ ■, r | j,..,' > j.,.;...,;,.: pafe,