GERMAN GEOLOGIST

Hokitika Guardian, 11 March 1929, Page 2

GERMAN GEOLOGIST

SIR J ULOILS VON •HA AST.

k A PRESIDENTS ADDRESS

CHRISTCHURCH, March 7. •• There was a large atendane at. the meeting of the Philosophical Institute o’f Canterbury last night, and the residential address .delivered by this year’s president, Mr G. .Jobberns on tfe life work of Sir Juliiis von Haast was listened to with close ’ interest. •Air. Jobberns said that Haast was af unique character in his time, and did more than any other man for the advancement of science in Canterbury. Although Haast was only 27 years in' Canterbury, from the time of his arrival in 1860 till his death in -1887 lie, was one of the most remarkable figiires in the early history of New Zealand ,and had still a world-wide reputation for his scientific exploiatatin of a country then new to the natural scientist. Ilis published . works wd're scattered through the scientific journals of 50 years ago, and besides being a fascinating account of exploration in this country they supply an almost complete autobiography of the author.

He was born in Bonn. Germany in 1824, but it was not until 1858 that lie came to New Zealand as agent for an English firm sending German immigrants. 'ln Auckland in 1858 he met Dri Ferdinand von Hochstetter, of the Austrian survey ship Novara, and the author of the rare and exceedingly interesting book “Now Zealand” Haast travelled'much with Hochstetter in the North Island, and this’’ no doubt enlarged his knowledge of geology and laid the foundation for his future scien tific work. He went to Nelson in 1859, and id a good deal of scientific exploration for the Nelson Provincial Government —particularly in the little known west and south-west. In 1860 he arrived in Canterbury and was engaged by Provincial Government make .a survey of Mt. Pleasant for .the projected tunnel to Lyttelton. This lie did- 1 so/.iyell That he was appointed later to the office of Provincial Geologist. His early report on the structure of the Canterbury Plains, published in 1863, is still the standard work of reference on the subject. To members of the Institute his most important geolgical work of thi time was lus report on the Malvern Hills, completed about ten years,later. In this-he mapped accuratey the coal depositis of • a-; .o'caTity fin which the early colohists:’ were' very interested, as a mineral ’"aefa.v/ '

EXPLORATION WORK. In his work “Tlie Geology of Canterbury and Westland,” which has become a rare and valuable .book, lie gives a fascinating account of his travels in the inaccessible .and then little known parts of Canterbury' and West-

land. The mist important of these were his exploration of the Upper Rangitata and Ashburton in 1861, his survey of the Upper Vaitaki and Mt. Cook ditsricts in 1862, lus famous jour ney to the West Coast from the end of Lake Wanaka, by way of the Haast Pass and the Haast River, in 1862-3 and his trip.to the West Coast following the great gold rush in 1565. On tin- occasion of his exploration of the Rangitata in 1861 he made his headquarters at Mesopotamia with Samuel Butler, who was then in residence there, and he was accompanied by Dr Sinclair, an enthusiastic botanist who lost his life, in crossing flooded Kangiatu river.

In llmist’s account of liis work at. Alt. Cook in 18(5*2, lie records tliat lie had as his topographical assistants Ml' Arthur Dudley Dobson, who shortly afterwards discovered our present route to the West Cast by "ay of Arthur’s Pass. In 1860 the gold rush to the West Coast followed the Hurunui to the saddle between that river and the Tereinakau, which was followed by a very poor track to Hokitika. Haast’s account of these stirring and romantic days is very vividly written as also in his account of the mushroom growth of lireymouth on tlit* site which he had camped for some five years before when it was a desolate uninhabited portion of the Coast, GLENMARK MCA BONKS. It was the discovery of huge quantities of moa bones in the GlenmaiK swamp in 1866 which contributed moie than anything else to Haast’s' scientific reputation. These were excavated and brought to Chritchurch, whence they were sent to all parts of the world in exchange for most of the foreign material forming the immensely valuable collection in the Christchurch Museum. In 1870 the present museum building was erected by the Provincial Government ,and Haast was appointed its first Director. From then till the time of bis death the Museum was his first care, and the value ni his work in establishing tlic collections there cannot be overestimated, for he made it the finest museum in this conn try. In 1876 lie was appointed first 'Professor of Geology at Canterbury College, and in 1884 he received the gold medal of the Royal Geographical Society - and a patent of hereditary nobility from the Em pore r of -Austria In 1886 lie went to England to represent New r Zealand at the Indian and Colonial Exhibition, land while there had .the.hoiiur of Knigthood conferred upon him. Beturniug to New Zealand in 1877 lie died almost imiuediateyl afterwards.

FOUNDER OF THE INSTITUTE

The Philosophical Institute of Canterbury owed a great deal to the energy enthusiasm ,and foresight of Haast who with eleven others founded it in 1862. He was its -first president, an office which he held continuously until 1871, and on ,several occasions leter

As a tribute to his memory the Institute had his portrait painted in oils, and this now hangs near the entrance to the Museum, where, 100 is a small statue provided by tbe German colonists all over New Zealand as a tribute to tlioir countryman. He was a man af amazing physical ami mental energy and the value of his contributions to science and the development of Canterbury can seanoly be overestimated, lie lias left permanent memorials to himself in his naming ol many of tlio more iiuitcossiblc parts of the New Zealand Alps, in the’Philosophical Institute of Canterbury, and above all in the Canterbury M iiseum. OTHER TRIBUTES. Mr Arthur Dudley Dobson, in moving a vote of th-inks to the president for his able address, gave details ol his work under Haast in connexion with iJ jo Lyttelton tunnel survey and said that it was his (lie speaker’s) first experience of applied science coming to Haast must lniev saved the Province the aid of engineering. By bis survey thousands of pounds in the cost of the tunnel. Professor R. Speight seconded and paid a tribute to Heast’s work as a geologist. With certain modifications he said Haast’s works still stood as nidel sot' accuracy. I)r. Cliarlo Chilton referred to his personal contact with Haast, and mom tinned that as the outcome of Haast’s errespondelice with English and European men of science, Charles Danvil,' and J. D. Hooker were honoray mem-lioi-se of the Canterbury Institute. Mr R. M. Laign, who was a scholar under Haast gave interesting personal reminiscences of .Haast’s methods of teaching, and of his love of practical jokes. A vote of thanks was accorded by acclamation.