THE LATE SIR JULIUS VON HAAST

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1638, 17 August 1887, Page 2

THE LATE SIR JULIUS VON HAAST

The followlug biography of Sir Julias von Haas>, who died mddenly at Christchurch yesterday morning, is taken fr_>in 11 Men of M»rk." Professor voa Haa&t was born at Bonn, Germany, on Ist M*y, 1824, his fathar being a merchant of that city, and for miny yeara ocoupyin^ the position of Bargomaet -r. After pjssiDg through the Grammar Schools of Bonn and Cologne, he ontdred the University of Bonn and devutod a considerable portion of his time to geological snd mlneraloglcal etadlos, forming a collection 9£ minerals whioh, 'n a recent review of his work on tLe German "Did Natur " is desoribod aa being of considerable value. After leaving the Ui iveraity he spent aomo years In Franae, and afterwarda returned to Germany. For eight years previoas to his departure for New Z jaland he made extensive joarueys over the ohief parts of Europe vialting Russia, Austria, and Italy. A. large part of these jou neya was spent m mountain explorations ; and during the eruption of Mount Etna m 1852 hi ascended the mountain for scientific purposes. He arrived m Auckland m 1853, where he met Dr Hoohstetter, a dlsinguiahed member of the staff of the celebrated Novara expedition. As Dr Hoohatetter's companion he v r s!ted a great part of (he North Island south of Auckland, and a portion of Nelson, writing full reports of all he saw to the leading German periodicals. At the request of the Provincial Government of Nelson he. then started on an expedition to explore the Wcetern and Southern portion of that Province. During this jiuroey, m addition to the discovery of the Grey and Buller ooal Soldo and of several goldbearing districts, he filled m the topography of a large part of Nelson, and added largely to the knowledge of the geology as well as to the fauna pni fl>ra of these alpine portions of New Zealand. On his return the Government printed a fall report of his journey and of the scientific and other discoveries made. la the beginning of 1201 be was appointed Provincial Geologist of Canterbury, and during a number of years he devoted about nix to eight months of the year to the inveatigatlon of the physical geography acd geology of this province, to whioh at that time the prcyince of Weetlsnd belonged. Th.3 result was the publication of the Geology of the Provinces of Canterbury and Weßtland," a work well known to his fellow colonists and highly appreoiated by the scieotifij wofcld. Reports and papers on the geology and physioial geography of Canterbury were from time to time forwarded by him to the Geological and Royal Geographical Societies of London, and were printed m their ••Transactions." During the explorations at the head of the Aihburton River and m the neighborhood of Mount Cook glaciers were first encountered — a discover jr that the non-aolentlfio world WBB Blow m admltt : ng. In recognition of his services, the Royal University of Tubingen created him a Drotor of Philosophy m 1862. He was made a Fellow of the Royal Society m 1867. Some fifty aoademio and laaraed societies m various partß of the world hava elected him a fellow, or honorary, or corresponding member. The Emperor of Austria has CDnferred upen him a patent of hereditary nobility, and numbers of sovereigns of Wurope hayo sent him their orders, and her Majesty lately created him K.O.M.G In ]863 he furnished a valuable report on the question of artesian wells, predicting th«t an almost inexhaustible supply of good wator wou'd be obtained by deep borings m Ohristohuroh , During his explorations as Provincial Geologist he commenced the formation of the Canterbury Muoura the first Museum of the Southern Hemisphere, Tho entire collection consists of over 150,000 labelled specimens, thousands of whioh are of great rarity and value, and many are quite unique. The Museum is a mooumeut of his laborß, and renders him deserving of the gratitude of the people of New Zealand. He took a great and aotive interest Jn higher education ; he, together with Bishop Harper, of Ohriatchuroh, founded the Canterbury Collegiate Union m 1872. From this small beginning the Canterbury College was Instituted and affiliated to tho New Zealand University, of whioh he was a Follow and a member of tho Senate, In Canterbury College he was a Professor of Geology and Pa'unntology. He was on the German Committee of the " Art Exhibition of Canterbury, 1870." He was also a contributor to the Paris Exhibition, having, with Mr Dobson, the Provincial Engineer of the Province of Canterbury, exhibited specimens of the rooks and minerals whioh had been met with m the excavation of the great tunnel connecting Lyttelton and Christchuroh. In 1862 ho founded the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury. The proceedings of the Institute are from time to time published, and attraot the attention of scientists throughout Europe. In 1884 he wai presented with the gold medal of the Royal Geographical Society, the first bestowed for exploration m New Zealand, and tho President expressed a hope (hat m thus rewarding him they were "encouraging scientific activity In a colony that had distinguished itself by its enlightened polioy towards education and soienoe." Sir Julius represented New Zealand at the Indian and Colonial Conferonoe and for the aervioa rendeted by him he was created a K.O.M.G.