Otago Provincial Gazette – 1862 – No. 197

Page 12

✨ Reconnaissance Survey Report

Dunedin, 9th July, 1862.

To J. T. Thomson, Esq.,
Chief Surveyor.

Sir,—I have the honor to forward for your inspection a Map of the Reconnaissance Survey of part of the Wanaka and Hawea Lake District, executed by me during the months of March, April, and May.

The country surveyed includes an area of 1,827 square miles, of which 371 are in the Province of Canterbury, and 1,446 in the Province of Otago: of the latter, as will be seen on reference to subjoined tables, there is, of

Pasturage ........ 960 square miles.
Forest .......... 40 "
Lake ............ 120 "
Barren .......... 326 "

Of the Canterbury part—

Pasturage ........ 10 square miles.
Forest .......... 20 "
Lake ............ 3 "
Barren .......... 338 "

The Bearings of Survey were taken from the meridian of Lindis Peak: Lat. 44° 43' 48.7" South; Long. 169° 31' 47.7" East of Greenwich. Height above sea level, 4,051 feet. Reference Bearing to Black Peak, on True Meridian, 288° 10' 26". The distances are from a base of three miles, measured twice on a line bearing 212° 30' from Mount Iron. The heights above sea level are, relative to Mount Pisa, 6,426 feet, one of the elevations, determined by Reconnaissance Survey, 1857-8.

The three angles of each triangle, in the centre of Survey, were observed; in cases where it was only possible to observe the two angles of a triangle, a bearing from a third position served as check.

The character of the country surveyed is mountainous, the ridges rise from 4,000 to 10,000 feet high. All elevations above 8,000 feet were seen to be covered with perpetual snow, and those between 6,500 and 8,000 were bare, only for a very short time in the year. The time during which the Survey was executed, was favourable for determining the height of the line above which the snow never melts. During the early part of March, elevations of 7,000 feet had snow more or less on their summits: this gradually disappeared, till there was none left. On the 29th March, the summit of Mount Alta, which attains to an elevation of 7,838 feet, was free of snow, only a few patches remained on its shaded side; all elevations above 8,000 feet, as seen from it, were white. A few days afterwards, a shower, which rained in the valleys, but snowed on the mountains, made Alta appear grey: this appearance continued till the 18th April, when it and several lesser elevations, received their

Mount York.	Nearest the Requisite Survey, July 28.
Long. of Observation	273° 2' 48" East.
for Latitude and true
Meridian at New Zealand
Pilot Peak

Mount Alta.	Observation Post, Port Chalmers.
Lat. 44° 43' 48.7" S.	Lat. 45° 49' 38" S.
Long. 169° 31' 47.7" E.	Long. 170° 38' 30" E.

Observations for Latitude and true Meridian were taken under good circumstances. To obtain a clear sky, I had to wait several days at each meridian—the weather throughout being broken and cloudy.

I will now proceed to the Wakatipu Lake and direct my attention to the survey of the country between it and the Wanaka Lake. How much I may accomplish before the end of the season, I cannot estimate, as the country there seems to be almost inaccessible, and the work is new to me: I shall put forward as much as I possibly can.

I have the honor to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient servant,

New Zealand Gazette Index

Otago Provincial Gazette – 1862 – No. 197

Page 12

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