✨ Official Lecture Publication
Numb. 39.
269
The New Zealand Gazette.
Published by Authority.
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1859.
Colonial Secretary's Office,
Auckland, 3rd Dec., 1859.
The following Lecture delivered by Dr.
F. HOCHSTETTER on the Geology of
the Province of Nelson is published for general
information.
E. W. STAFFORD.
LECTURE ON THE GEOLOGY OF
THE PROVINCE OF NELSON.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, It is with
much pleasure that I respond to the
wish expressed by you, and at the same
time fulfil my promise of communicating the
results of my geological, explorations in a
lecture, on the geology of this Province; and
it is with a feeling of pride that I see so
large and distinguished an assemblage met
here this evening.
On my arrival in Nelson, in the beginning
of the month of August, I hardly hoped to
be able to extend my researches so far as to
obtain an accurate idea of the geological
features of the Province. The time allotted
to me was very short: the geological field
of the Middle Island, on which I was
entering, was, in comparison with that of
the Northern Island, an entirely new one.
Entering into Blind Bay upon a bright
morning, I saw all around me lofty snow-
covered mountain chains. It was the
middle of winter, and I doubted whether at
this season of the year extended geological
researches were possible. This doubt was
soon removed: the glorious weather which
favoured my excursions gave me full con-
fidence in the far-famed and deservedly-
praised Nelson climate. My first explora-
tion opened up to me a field at once as
interesting as regards scientific research, and
at the same time of so great practical
importance, from the existence of those very
valuable substances, gold, coal, and copper,
that in order to give greater value to the
results of my observations, I willingly
resolved to respond to the wish of the
inhabitants, and to remain a month longer
among you.
I feel myself in the highest degree obliged
to the inhabitants of this Province, who, so
soon as the Novara arrived in Auckland,
invited the members of the expedition to
visit Nelson, for the honourable and hospi-
table reception, and for the active assistance
in the prosecution of my objects, which I
have met with on all sides; and I wish to
take this opportunity of expressing my
thanks to the Provincial Government for the
admirable arrangements which on its part
were made, so as to extend to the utmost
limit the sphere of my explorations, and
enable me to occupy to the greatest advan-
tage the limited time at my disposal.
Allow me, before proceeding further, to
give you an account of my different journeys,
and to detail to you the places which I have
visited.
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NZ Gazette 1859, No 39
✨ LLM interpretation of page content
🏛️ Publication of Dr. Hochstetter's Lecture on the Geology of Nelson Province
🏛️ Governance & Central Administration3 December 1859
Geology, Nelson, Lecture, Gold, Coal, Copper, Scientific research, Exploration
- F. Hochstetter (Dr.), Lecturer on Nelson Geology
- E. W. Stafford