FRANZ JOSEF AND NEW ZEALAND.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 November 1916, Page 3

FRANZ JOSEF AND NEW ZEALAND.

INTERESTING POINTS REGALED,

The Christcliurch Star recalls some interesting points of contact between the life of Franz Josef of Austria and the history of our New Zealand settlements. More 'than half a century ago the Kmperor and hisiamily exhibited a friendly semi-scientific concern in this country, land the conimnader of the Austrian frigate Novara, which was dispatched from the Adriatic towards the end of the fifties on a eruis? round the world, was instructed to pay special attention to NewZealand. Dr. Ferdinand Hochstctter, tin; first geologist of note to examine those islands, was one of the NoVara's scientific staff. and when he landed at Auckland ik 1859 his services were secured by the Auckland Provincial Government for a geological survey of the province. For six months he made explorations of the interior of the North Island, travelling by eanoe, on horseback, and on foot over a great area of country then purely in its Maori state. He penetrated to Lake Taupo, and his description of the volcanic and thermal country remained for many years the standard account of that territorv. Hoehstetter's story of New Zealand aroused deep interest in this country on the Continent, but before his wcrk saw print, Vienna had already been stirred to a little concern in the distant British colony by the sight of sev era! tatooed Maori chiefs in the streets These Maoris were Waikato men who had been taken to Polae by the Novara as guests of honor, in recognition of the kindness shown by the Natives in the Auckland province. They were presented to Franz Josef, and the Emperor's brother, the Archduke Maximilian, who afterwards '.net witli a tragic fate in Mexico, made much of tliem, and took them about Vienna. When the?e Maori eliiefr returned to New Zealand, they brought with them as their most prized present from the Austrian royal family a printing press and type, which were soon put to use in the, Waikato ui the printing of the Kingite newspaper and gazette, "Te Hokioi" ("The War Hawk"). The little sheet was produced at Ngaruawahia, on the Waikato River, by King Tawhiao's cousin, Patara te Tulii. and his brother Honana. Patara attended to the literary side, and Hoana and some Maori youths

set the type ami worked the hand press. The press bo-'e the arms of the Austrian Royal House, and each issue of the Hokioi was imprinted with a reference to the "loving gift" from the Emperor of Austria. When the Waikato war began, Patara laid down his pen, and there was no more "Hokioi." It would be interesting to know, what became of the press. It may be still in the possession of the Waikatos. That was the beginning of an association with New Zealand which the Austrian ruler and some of the savants of his kingdom maintained for many years. New Zealand's bird life particularly fascinated Austrian naturalists, and one of them, Reischek, spent several years ransacking our forests for Vienna and German museums. This practice, in fact, developed into an abuse, and so the indiscriminate spoliation of the L'l'sh life was rightly interdicted. Franz Josef on more than one occasion sent gifts to this country; the chamois in the Southern Alps was the last royal present. But for the war this Dominion would have perpetuated the old Emneror's name on its Alpine maps, but 'n the mania for sweeping away everv trace of enemy nomenclature the ' "Fraiiz Josef" Glacier and other Austrian names will give place to others less historical and picturesque, such as possibly, for instance, Massev Glacier and Herdman Peak.