A GREAT NEW ZEALAND TRAVELLER.

North Otago Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8165, 20 April 1895, Page 3

A GREAT NEW ZEALAND TRAVELLER.

••Mr W. Hetbort-Jonos, F.R.G.S., the lecturer and journalist, may now claim to have traversed Now ZeiUnd and Been more of tho country than any other man. Ho Ins devoted over two yoirsto travelling over it from end to end, tecuring infurma ion about every phase and feature of it, for illustrated lectures and for newspaper and magazine articles. Ho has climbed eleven of our higher mountains, including Ilmpehu, the monarch of the North Island ; Ngauruhoe, the active volcano ; Tongarito, TVawora, tta scene of the grout eruption of 1886 ; E;4monr, tho pride of Tarauaki ; and Mount Earnslaw, the monarch of Otago ; «t,d is the first visitor to conqutr the last-natneJ peak. He wrote a very graphic scries of articles on thia remarkable ascent (which attracted much attention) for the Melbourne Argu?, Otago Times, nnd several English papers. The description he gives of llio region overlooked from the summit of Mount Eiraslaw is the only full description that has over been given. Mr Herbert- Jones has explored the famous sounds, tho O!ago lakes, the Southern Alps, tho Wtstland fores' 8, lakes and ghcierd. He has pipsed through the canons or gorges of the Ocira, Buller, yiiotover, Clinton, Routeburn, Kiwarau, Manawatu, and Mangarewa. He has penetrated the densest forests, and crossed tho two islands in oloven different place". He has seen all the chief ivoiulerd of the thousand square mile 1 ) of the Thermal districts, including Rotorua, Tikitere, Whtk»rawarowa, Wsirakei, Waiotapu, Orakeikorako, Dkoroire, Tokaanu. Tarawtra, and Taupo. He ha? been through the heart of the mysterious Uriwera country, long the tar«, incognita of New Zoaland, and was one ot the Premier's party in that memorablo journey, with i>s moving incidents and hairbreadth escapes*, when they visited 2000 Maoris and held eleven native meetings. Ha has explored the Northern Perm« 6ula and the chssic ground of the colony. He has been up the Wanganui river nnd near to its source, across Like Taupo to its neBtern bay, whore hardly any one else has reached, and across beautiful but treacherous Like Waikaremoana. Ho attended the famous Maori Parliament, *\nd was present at the great tangi over tho body of the Maori King Tawhaio ; he and the artUt who accompanied him being the only Europeans allowed within the enclosure on tho day of the ceremonies, in which 3000 Maoris took part, and which extended over five weeks. Altogethei he has enjoyed mosc exceptional facilities for acquainting himself with the country, and he is in a unique position for lecturing and writing upon it from tho visitor's standpoint."— Manawatu Time?.