Auckland

Auckland, the northern provincial district of New Zealand, includes fully a half of North Island, and is about 400 miles long by 200 wide at its greatest breadth. The bays of its coast-line afford safe harbourage, and its rivers serve as highways for the produce of the interior. There are three almost natural divisions of this district: North-Peninsula, East Coast, and the Waikato Country—the latter two, which had been mainly in the hands of the natives, have lately been opened up for European settlement. The land is chiefly of two kinds—a light volcanic loam, and a stiff yellow clay. For the most part it is broken, with low ranges of hills and broad shallow valleys, covered to a great extent with dense forests. It is less suited for grazing than for agricultural purposes. Gold, copper, tin, iron, coal, and other minerals exist in Auckland, which is also very rich in timber, the most important tree being the Kauri pine. The fossil gum of ancient forests of this pine is dug up in large quantities, and exported. Much New Zealand flax is grown and manufactured. About 200 miles of railway give connection with the agricultural districts. The annual value of the exports, including wool, Kauri gum, timber, flax, and gold, averages £1,000,000; the imports are double that amount. The value of the gold exported from 1857 to 1885 was £5,350,287. The climate is pleasant and healthy, and owing to sea-breezes, the summer heat is not so great as in other parts of Australasia in the same latitude. Ferns grow in perfection, upwards of 130 species being found. Volcanic action has deeply left its mark on the surface of Auckland; there is still an active volcano near the city of Auckland; and the warm lake and geyser scenery of the region about 90 miles SE. from Auckland, below the Bay of Plenty, is considered by travellers the most remarkable in the world. The 'Hot Lake' district covers an area about 120 miles long, by 10 to 15 miles wide, and includes hot springs, cisterns of hot water, and mud volcanoes. A sanatorium for bathing purposes exists near Lake Taupo, and at Ohinenu to Rotorua. The other lakes are Tarawera, Rotoiti, and Rotomahana. The wonderful pink and white terraces near Tarawera Lake were destroyed by a volcanic eruption in 1886. The white terrace, which had the appearance of a crystal staircase, glittering and stainless, as of ice, was produced by deposits of silica from the boiling springs; the pink terrace, its companion, was flushed with a pale rose colour, believed to have been caused by the presence of oxide of iron. Auckland was the scene of the labours of Bishops Selwyn and Patteson. The population in 1875 was 79,104; (1881) 99,451; (1891) 133,267.