3

H.—52

Islands, with Stewart Island, extend in length 1,100 miles ; but their breadth is extremely variable, ranging from 46 to 250 miles, the average being about 140, but no part is anywhere more distant than 75 miles to the coast. The total area of New Zealand, in round numbers, is about 100,000 square miles, or 66,000,000 acres—the North Island being 44,000 square miles, or 28,800,000 acres; the South Island being 55,000 square miles, or 36,560,000 acres ; Stewart Island being 1,000 square miles, or 640,000 acres. It will thus be seen that the total area of New Zealand is somewhat less than Great Britain and Ireland. The North aud South Islands are separated by a strait only thirteen miles across at the narrowest part, presenting a feature of the greatest importance to the colony by facilitating intercommunication between the different coasts without the necessity of sailing round the extreme points of the colony. Configuration. New Zealand is mountainous, with extensive plains lying principally on the eastern side of the mountain-range in the South Island, while in the North Island they lie on the western side, the interior or more mountainous parts being covered with dense forest; while those of the South Island are for the greater part open, well grassed, and used for pastoral purposes. In the North Island the mountains occupy one-tenth of the surface, and do not exceed from 1,500 to 6,000 ft. in height, with the exception of a few volcanic mountains that are very lofty, one of which, Tongariro (6,500 ft.), is still occasionally active. Euapehu (9,100 ft.) and Mount Egmont (8,300 ft.) are extinct volcanoes that reach above- the limit of perpetual snow, and the latter is surrounded by one of the most extensive and fertile districts in New Zealand. The range in the South Island, known as the Southern Alps, is crossed at intervals by low passes; the greatest height of the main range is from 10,000 ft. to 14,000 ft. in Mount Cook, and it has extensive snow-fields and glaciers. Vegetation. A considerable part of both Islands is clothed with valuable timber. The proportion of forestland to the whole country, ascertained in 1873, was as under: — North Island — Percentage of Forest-land. Auckland ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 7-20 Hawke's Bay ... ... ... ... ... ... .... 8-19 Taranaki ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 65-56 Wellington ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 42-85 South Island—Nelson ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 28-86 Marlborough ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 18-38 Canterbury ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 2-07 Otago ... ... ... ... ... ... ...} 11-8 . Southland j urn The indigenous forest of New Zealand is evergreen, and contains a large variety of valuable woods, which resemble the growths of Tasmania and the continent of Australia, most of them being harder, heavier, and more difficult to work than the majority of European and North American timbers. They vary, however, very much among themselves. Many varieties are very durable, and manuka, totara, kauri, black-birch, kowhai, and matai appear to be the most highly esteemed on the whole. The total value of timber exported from the colony since 1875 to the close of 1888 amounted to £1,366,616. A number of the native forest-trees and plants furnish good dyes from their bark. The Natives were acquainted with most of these, and dyed their flax mats and baskets with them. Amongst the smaller plants the Phormium tenax, or New Zealand flax, is of especial value, the total export of this fibre from 1864 to 1888 being valued at £883,009. Large tracts of country are also covered with indigenous grasses of high feeding-quality, which support millions of sheep, and have thus been productive of great wealth to the colony. Many of the more valuable trees of Europe, America, and Australia have been introduced, and have flourished with a vigour scarcely ever attained in their natural habitats. In many parts of the colony the hop grows with unexampled luxuriance; whilst all the European grasses and other useful plants produce returns equal to those of the most favoured localities at home. Fruit, too, is abundant all over New Zealand. Even in the latitude of Wellington, oranges, lemons, citrons, and loquats are found, whilst peaches, pears, grapes, apricots, figs, melons, and, indeed, all the ordinary fruits of temperate climates, abound. Roots and vegetables of all kinds grow abundantly. Population. The population of New Zealand increases very rapidly. A census is taken every three years. The estimated population on 31st December, 1888, exclusive of the aborigines, was 607,380, showing that the population has increased two and a half times since the inauguration of the publicworks policy in 1871. This rapidity of increase has of course been much assisted by immigration ; but the high birth-rates, coupled with the low death-rates, usually prevailing in the colony have also contributed largely to this satisfactory result. The birth-rate of the year 1887 was 32-09 per 1,000, whilst the death-rate for the same year was 10-29 per 1,000. The North Island contains a Native population of about forty thousand, divided into many tribes, and scattered over 45,1^6 square miles. The South Island Natives number but about two thousand, and they are spread over an immense tract of country, living in groups of a few families on the reserves made for them when the lands were purchased ; for the whole of the South Island has been bought from the Native owners by the Government. As a rule, the Maoris are middlesized and well-formed, the average height of the men being sft. 6in. ; the bodies and arms being longer than those of the average Englishman, but the leg-bones being shorter and the calves largely