New Zealand
nu ze'land, a group of islands in the southern Pacific, 1,200 miles southeast of Australia. The chief islands are North Island and South Island. Both are traversed by elevated mountain ranges. Peaks rise to an altitude of several thousand feet. The loftiest is 9,195 feet high. These islands are about the size of Pennsylvania and New York respectively, and, from all accounts, they have much the same physical features as these states. Mountain, valley, and plain, gorges, rivers, lakes, and cascades are present on a large scale. The entire group occupies an oceanic region 200 miles wide and 1,000 miles in length, extending through eleven degrees of latitude. The highest peaks are snow-capped. The northern shores are in a southern latitude corresponding to that of Savannah, Georgia. The southern end of the group lies in south latitude corresponding to that of northern Maine. The climate found between these extremes of latitude and elevation is more like that of the British Isles, however, than that of the American coast. There is great diversity of soil and scenery. An extensive region--a veritable wonderland of volcanoes and geysers--has been set aside as a national park.
Minerals, Forests, Etc. The minerals prized by man--iron, gold, silver, lead, zinc, antimony, and magnesium--are all present. About 12,000,000 acres are or were clothed with forests of trees, unknown in the north, but affording excellent timber for fencing, building, railroad ties, and cabinet work. There are almost a thousand flowering plants. Gigantic ferns are numerous. There are 30,000,000 acres suitable for grazing and half that area admirably adopted to the grains and vegetables of Great Britain and the United States.
Animals. The ordinary domestic animals, including poultry, thrive. The native mammals are restricted to two bats and a rat. There are no snakes, few lizards, and but one kind of frog. Sand flies and mosquitoes are in evidence. There are four species of the wingless bird known as the apteryx or kiwi. Pigeons and parrots abound. English game birds--the pheasant, quails, and partridges--have been introduced. Rabbits, as in Australia, have been introduced and have become a pest. European deer have become perfectly at home. The grasses are said to be so nutritious that deer grow much larger than in England, but cows and horses are smaller.
Native Population. The natives are known as Maoris. Some contend that they are a brown Polynesian race,--they are tall, well built, active; tillers of the soil, skillful canoe men, and fishers. When first known they possessed skill in wood carving, but none in metal work or in the making of pottery. They tattooed their faces and bodies in a striking manner. They were given to tribal wars and were addicted to cannibalism. There are still over 40,000 of them for the greater part settled in a half civilized way, largely through the efforts of missionaries. They adapt themselves to European ways readily, and make a kindly, self-respecting people.
Historical. The first white man to visit New Zealand was the Dutch captain Tasman for whom Tasmania was named. This was in 1642. In 1769 over a century later, Captain Cook, the next European to see New Zealand, sailed completely around the group and mapped the islands. He left a number of pigs and fowls that multiplied and afforded the Maoris animal food. He also provided seed and taught the natives to raise potatoes, turnips, and cabbages. Missionaries and whalers were followed by traders who sought to exchange beads, guns, and cutlery for timber, flax, and curios.
In 1840 New Zealand was made a British colony. The discovery of gold attracted miners. About $300,000,000 worth of this metal has been taken from the mountains or washed from the sands of the rivers. The wonderful adaptation of the soil to agriculture and grazing attracted settlers in great numbers.
Population. There were, in 1901, 761,104 persons, chiefly of British descent, in New Zealand. Half a million of this population had seen no other country. At this date there were five towns with a population of over 10,000 each. Auckland, the largest, had 63,000, and Wellington 43,000 people. There are over 1,000 Protestant churches, 200 Catholic churches, 1,757 public primary schools, twenty-five high schools, four colleges, two normal schools, five art schools, four schools of mines, a school of agriculture, a school of engineering, numerous private schools, and a state university. There are also over 100 schools for Maori children. The estimated population in 1909 was 1,040,000.
Commerce. In 1905 the colony exported, chiefly to Great Britain, wool, gold, grain and flour, fresh meats, tallow, hides, leather, feathers, live stock, butter, cheese, hams, bacon, timber, and minor articles to the value of $68,000,000. Fresh meats--3,000,000 carcasses a year--are frozen and shipped in refrigerator ships. Two million dollars worth of kauri gum, used in making varnish, is gathered for export annually. The leading imports are clothing, cutlery, machinery, sugar, tea, tobacco, fruit, oils, bags, paper, and books.
Agriculture. Agriculture and stock raising are the leading industries. There are 85,000 farms and ranches, with room for many more. American reapers are to be seen in the wheat fields. In addition to all the usual field crops and vegetables, apples, plums, and peaches are of excellent quality. The sheep-shearing season begins at the north in September and advances southward with the season, closing in January at the very time when sheep in the northern hemisphere have greatest need of their fleeces. In like manner the harvest begins in December and ceases at the south in February. Rains are frequent and well distributed. Drouths are of rare occurrence. In winter, June to August, the snow line comes down to within 3,000 feet of the sea level. The climate is decidedly oceanic. The mean temperature for summer is about 63deg. F.; for winter 48deg. F. As in England, the winter is so mild that barns are not needed. The summers are too cool for Indian corn. Grapes are grown only under glass.
Legislation. New Zealand has been settled by an unusually enterprising, intelligent population. Though on friendly terms with Australia and ready to help the mother country with men and money, the colony preferred not to enter the Australian Federation. In 1907 the colony was transformed into the Dominion of New Zealand. The country is governed by a local Parliament. Women vote. The Maoris have four members. No government in the world has taken greater pains to guard the interests of individuals and to care for the needy. The country is rich in natural resources; soil and climate are all that could be desired. An effort has been made to give all an equal chance and to prevent poverty. In the first place the wild lands are not sold to speculators. The government builds roads, railroads, and extends telegraph and telephone lines wherever they are deemed necessary. Street railways, gas, water, and electric plants are owned by the towns. Savings banks are operated by the postoffices. Life insurance is a government affair. Helpless old age is pensioned. Under civil service rules offices are held for life or during good behavior. Brewing is permitted. Distilling is prohibited. The government attends to the transfer of real estate and to the settling of estates. It also loans settlers money at low rates on mortgages. Taxes are levied on a sliding scale. The first thousand dollars pays less than the second; the second less than the third; so that wealth is taxed unmercifully. Every effort is made to give all an opportunity to become comfortable, and every obstacle is thrown in the way of amassing millions.
Although far from the beaten paths of commerce, visited seldom by the mere traveler, New Zealand is one of the most thrifty and interesting countries on the globe. An effort is being made, and on a large scale, to profit by the world's experience and to escape some of the ills that have befallen older commonwealths. In all that contributes to advance civilization, in point of soil, weather, water, natural resources, and people, New Zealand has the elements of unbounded prosperity--a veritable empire.
See Geysers; Kauri; Sheep.