carved for herself wonderful hanging ornaments and exquisite cornices, with that prolific hand which never stints itself in space because of expense, and devotes its endless labour to front and rear with equal persistency. On the top terrace is the boiling lake from which the

others are filled."

Auckland is the centre of the largest native population in New Zealand; indeed of the 44,000 Maoris remaining in the whole colony nearly 25,000 reside in Auckland Province. According to their own tradition, the ancestors of these people came five hundred years ago, in seven canoes, from a distant island called Hawaiki, probably Hawaii. Both as regards bodily vigour and intellect, the natives of New Zealand at the time of its discovery had developed into the finest of the Polynesian races. But though energetic and intelligent, they were greedy, rapacious, unscrupulous, and cruel. Two of their national customs, muru and tapu, deserve particular mention. By the former institution any man who, by inadvertence or otherwise, had transgressed certain customs, was either heavily fined or made liable to be plundered by everybody. The prevalence of muru made property very insecure, especially as subjection to it gave the right to rob others. Anything of value was constantly changing hands; successful thieving became meritorious; it was only detection that was disgraceful. Tapu (or taboo, as it is often spelt) was an institution of infinite requirements, pervading the whole social system of the Maoris. A chief was himself tapu, or sacred, and could make anything else so by simply declaring it to be so. His own person, and especially his head, was tapu, and, indeed, all belonging to him partook of the alleged divine essence, which was believed to pass from the gods, through chiefs and priests, to anything they chose. This superstition was very powerful; a strong man has been known to die of terror on finding that he had unwittingly eaten part of a chief's dinner. The practice of mopo or tattoo (now fast dying out) was universal; both men and women underwent a painful process that marked them with indelible signs. In morals they were very degraded-slavery, polygamy, infanticide, sorcery, murder, and cannibalism were prominent features of life in New Zealand. They excel in carving, of which their war-canoes, carrying a hundred men, are specimens. They believed in certain gods, to whom, however, only the priests had direct access, and had also a superstitious reverence for an Atua, or supreme being. They believed that the stars were the left

eyes of deceased chiefs; immortality they considered to be the lot of the higher classes, but the Cookees, or vulgar, perished for ever.

The Maoris vary in size as much as Europeans do, but are usually well made, with finelyformed heads, olive complexions, regular features, and well-proportioned feet and hands. The men, as a rule, are better-looking than the women. They dwelt in fortified villages called paks, and were at one time constantly engaged in inter-tribal wars.

Several Maoris now have seats in the House of Representatives, and are of great use in keeping the Government well informed as to native affairs. Their acuteness in mastering all the forms of the House has been specially noticeable. In the War Office list of the British Army are to be found the names of several Maori chiefs amongst the officers of the British forces. In the parties at Government House, elegantly dressed Maori belles may be seen going through the figures of a set of quadrilles with as much grace and appreciation as their fairest companions, whilst amongst the "wallflowers" the dusky wives of chiefs, richly and fashionably dressed, but with tattooed lips, look on with admiring interest. Many of the Maoris who

have let their lands, live in affluence and keep their carriages. Whilst some assert that the native race is dying out, others maintain that they are assimilating to the colonists in habits of thought, manners, and civilisation-that the period of decrease from war, imported vices, and the circumstances of a transitional state has come to an end; and that, so far from having

to smooth the dying pillow of the Maori race," the Anglo-Saxon colonist has to welcome an element of future strength-an element that will amalgamate in the population of New Zealand, even as Celt and Dane and Norman combined in the making of the English people.

Before passing on to speak of the other cities of New Zealand, a few historical facts should here be noted. The first authenticated discovery of New Zealand was by Tasman in 1643, who named the north-western cape of the island after his lady-love, the beautiful Maria

van Diemen, the daughter of the Dutch Governor of Jara. Amongst navigators who successively visited the islands, Captain Cook stands out prominently; some spots associated with him can be seen from the windows of Auckland. It was not till 1840 that el tisST. D was fairly organised, but in that year Auckland and Wellington were both founiei The former was established by the first Governor, Captain Hobson, and by him also in the same year the first treaty with the natives was made at a settlement called Waitangi. By this treaty the sovereignty of New Zealand was ceded to the Kingdom of Great Britain by the chiefs, but the natives were to be paid for all lands taken possession of. Russell, in the Bay of Islands, had been originally chosen as the seat of Government, but, on account of the natives, the site of the present city of Auckland was selected as preferable. Ia 1965, by Act of the Colonial Parliament, and the selection of certain commissioners appointed at its request by the Australian Parliament, Wellington became the capital.

It must not be supposed that the Waitangi treaty settled everything. From 1544 to 1881 there was a long struggle, occasionally breaking out into open war, and causing the sacrifice of unfold lives and the expenditure of vast sums of money. In December, 1551, the power of the Maoris to work much mischief was broken for ever. The stronghold of the Maori prophet was broken up, he and his confederates were imprisoned, and their followers dispersed. The natives appear to have accepted the situation, and are disposed to devote themselves to the pursuit of material prosperity, and acquiesce in British rule.

Whilst Governor Hobson was engaged in the north, a number of gentlemen who had combined under the name of the New Zealand Land Company were actively arranging for the formation of a settlement and the laying out of a city in the south at Port Nicholson. In August, 1889, their agent, Colonel William Wakefield, arrived, and fixed upon the site; and in January, 1840, the first emigrants arrived. The city was named Wellington, in compliment to the great Duke. The harbour is considered one of the finest in the world, and is completely landlocked, From its shores now rises the town in crescent form, about two miles in length, and behind it picturesque hills abruptly close the view. Colonel Wakefield purchased from fifteen chiefs a vast site, for goods worth £320, including blankets, fire-arms, implements, clothes, Jews' harps, &c. By sales to emigrants the company easily obtained about a hundred times the purchase-money. Wellington has prospered since those days, developing from a pioneer settlers' village into a romantic town, and then becoming the capital city of New Zealand. Most of the buildings, however, are still of wood; even the Government House is of this material. The damage done by earthquakes partly accounts for this fact. In 1848 the town was nearly destroyed, and, during the consequent panic, some idea was entertained of abandoning the site; but an ordinance has since been passed forbidding any more wooden houses to be erected within certain limits, and more substantial structures will accordingly make their appearance by degrees. A considerable portion of the site of the town has been reclaimed from the sea, and it is a curious circumstance that since the earthquake of 1855 the coast-line has been four feet higher than it was before. After a period of quiet, there have been several earthquake shocks since 1878. The lively streets of Wellington, and the wharves that line its convenient harbour, are scenes of busy activity; and from one end of the town to the other a steam-tram is continually plying.

Of the buildings in Wellington may be named specially the Government Buildings

an enormous structure of wood-covering nearly two acres, containing over one hundred and sixty rooms, and costing, for labour only, nearly £25,000. There are various other public edifices, also numerous churches and chapels. Wellington possesses foundries, mills, factories, and so forth; also theatres, museums, banks, and many other buildings that we need not specify. There is a railway to Masterton (seventy-one miles), which will eventually join railways in course of construction from Napier on the east, and New Plymouth on the west coast. Two daily papers are published at Wellington, as well as weekly and monthly journals.

At Wellington the Parliament of New Zealand now meets. It consists of two Chambers-a Legislative Council of forty-five members (including two Maoris), appointed by the Crown for life, and a House of Representatives of ninety-one members (of whom four must be Maoris). Every member receives one hundred and thirty-five guineas per session to cover travelling and other expenses. Every man of full age who has resided a year in the colony, and six months in the same electoral district, is entitled to vote for, or be, a member of the House of Representatives. Maori voters must possess freeholds worth £25, or be ratepayers in an electoral district. There were 6,686 Maoris cn the electoral roll in 1879.

Luxuriant pastures clothe the hills around the city and harbour, and upon their slopes appear numerous handsome residences. In the view from the hills there is much fine wild scenery of a Swiss character. The fertile and beautiful valley of the Hutt is included in the prospect. Here also are the remains of a real New Zealand forest, absolutely impenetrable, except by cutting a path through the thick growth of forest vines. About forty miles from Wellington is a beautiful glen, called the Horokiwi valley, from the head of which the traveller looks down on the western coast and the Island of Kapiti. This is the district associated with the great chief Rauparaha, a mighty warrior and cannibal, who, after being a scourge to his countrymen, and a devourer of many of them, and an instigator of a massacre of white men, died peacefully in his bed, in his eightieth year, in November, 1849.

Wellington is on the northern side of Cook's Straits-the passage separating the Northern from the Southern Island; and on the southern side of the strait stands Nelson, also, in the first place, a settlement of the New Zealand Land Company. It rejoices in so delightful a climate that it has been called the Madeira of New Zealand. It stands on level ground, at the extremity of Blind Bay, on a small confined harbour, which during southerly and easterly gales is much exposed to a heavy swell. The harbour is, to some extent, protected by the natural breakwater called the "Boulder Bank." Steamers ply regularly between Nelson and all the neighbouring ports, and there is periodical communication with Sydney and Melbourne. The voyage of one hundred and fifty miles to Wellington is very beautiful and interesting. The picturesque scenery beheld on the route has been compared to that of the Rhine; and the traditionary spot is passed where it is said that Captain Cook landed and encamped to take formal possession of the island in the name of his sovereign.

Nelson is an important seaport, but is also a romantic rural town-one of the pleasantest places of residence in the colony. Some travellers speak of it as being slow