RANGITIKEI.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 5, Issue 274, 26 December 1861, Page 3

RANGITIKEI.

Western •;‘itangltikei Literary Association. sJjjThe monthly lecture was delivered on evening of "Wednesday the 18th; large audience assembled in the chui li, by the Rev. It. Taylor of Wanganiiif Hn the geology of New Zealand. object of the lecturer was to prove the, following points. 1. That man in these"region's occupies a far more ancient and is surrounded by much more. a'wßt forms of animal and vegetable even Adam was at his creation. 2. That ,of all the surface of our planet this is probably the oldest portion, and still preserves with little change its.. primsevaLS-cotiditibn, from its not having: been submerged with the rest of the grand Southern Oo.ntiheiit. To prove these positions, jhb v iK.Sv; ’iefturer’ shewed that thel animals ’"trees' and flowers existing in New Zealand"before by Europeans closely correspond with those of the carboniferous age... He supposed that the Asiatic ‘continent had extended as far south ab New Zealand, which was first separated 'from it; that Australia was next severed ,; aucl that at a still later period America was separated from Europe and Africa. •• pirns' these separations at different epochs constitute, as it were, a geological flight of stairs, connecting the oldest with the most recent platform of the earth.; the first and lowest step being New Zealand and some of the neighbouring islands,’ ’ with their birds ; the next, Australia with its marsupials ; 'the next, America \rith its' sloths, tapirs &c. ; and lastly,‘ Europe with its new flora and' fauna, including however, the remains of former species, and over which man, the last and chief of all creatures presides. This imperfect sketch of the lecture will show it to have been highly interesting-; it was listened to with much attention, although some of the audience were occasionally puzzled by the scientific names.

TURAKINA. Mutual Improvement Society. A lecture on the geology of New Zealand was delivered; here last Thursday evening bythe Rev.il. Taylor of Wanganui. The audience listened with much interest to the theory advanced (described above). The'Crops.' These look very well in this neighbourhood. Hay making is at present engaging all hands, .aud the crop is good; : ; We observe as fine a field of .wheat as .could be desired, at Annbank;, and the other crops on the same farm', which" occupy a' large space ? look very well. _ Episcopalian Church, .A site for this place of worship has been bought from ,Vr. Wilson,- immediately adjoining the Presbyterian Church glebe. The ground has been enclosed with a neat wooden fence, having a small iron gate to the roach - ’