Other formats

    Adobe Portable Document Format file (facsimile images)   TEI XML file   ePub eBook file  

Connect

    mail icontwitter iconBlogspot iconrss icon

The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 66

Area of the Islands

Area of the Islands.

Sq. Miles. Acres.
The total area of New Zealand is about 100,000 or 64,000,000
The total area of the North Island being 44,000 or 28,160,000
The total area of the South Island being 55,000 or 35,200,000
The total area of Steward Island being 1,000 or 640,000

It will thus be seen that the total area of New Zealand is somewhat less than that of Great Britain and Ireland. The North and South Islands are separated by a strait only thirteen miles across at the narrowest part, presenting a feature of the greatest importance from its facilitating intercommunication between the different coasts without the necessity of sailing round the extremities of the colony.

The North Island was, up to the year 1876, divided into four provinces—viz., Auckland, Taranaki, Hawke's Bay, and Wellington. Taranaki and Hawke's Bay lie on the west and cast coasts respectively, between the two more important provinces of Auckland on the north and Wellington on the south.

The South Island was divided into five provinces—viz., Nelson, Marlborough, Canterbury, Otago, and Westland (Southland was for a short time an independent province). Nelson and Marlborough are in the north, Canterbury in the centre, Otago in the south, and Westland to the west of Canterbury.

page 6

These provinces, however, in 1876 were divided into sixty-three counties—thirty-two in the North Island and thirty-one in the south Island—and provincial government ceased to exist.