THE AUCKLAND ISLANDS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4393, 19 April 1875, Page 3

THE AUCKLAND ISLANDS.

The following letter, addressed to his Honor the Superintendent, has been placed at the disposal of the Otago Daily Times : “ Invercargill, April 10, 1875.

Sir, — I have the honor to forward to your Honor’s address some of the grasses and plants from the Auckland Islands, with the view of having them placed under the care of the curator of the Dunedin public gardens. These are only a few of the vax-ieties brought by Mr. Mclvor, many having withered from want of sufficient earth balls, moisture, and length of voyage. The Auckland Islands are clothed from base to summit with the kind of grasses and plants now sent to the Dunedin gardens. There are in these Islands at least half-a-dozen of the finest sheep and cattle runs in the colony, and easily subdivided owing to the configuration of the country. Captain Becks, chief of the German Transit of Venus party, informed me that the climate was vex-y mild, and the sea around the islands several degrees warmer.

“ Some of the gx-asses are the same as those of the western islands of Scotland, viz., Mull, Skye, Islay, Colonsay, Stornoway, &c. Fishermen from the abovenaraed islands would be the men to form settlements on the seaboard of the Aucklands.

“ Such was the interest felt by Captain Becks and party in the botany and geology of these islands that, after refittiug their ship at The Bluff, they returned to explore them thoroughly ; and your Honor will see from the enclosed newspaper that they are likely to be there till the end of this mouth.

“ I hope the desire of drawing attention to the importance of colonising these valuable islands will be accepted as an apology for thus troubling your Honor.—l have, &c..

“Duncan MoAeihue. “ To his Honor the Superintendent, “Dunedin.”