Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1896-02-21

uted missionaries from Zion, nave lanu-
ed on the shores Of New Zealand since
1884, Of whom upwards OF sixty are
pleading the cause Of truth here at the
present time, the bigger hall among the
Maori people
The Australasian mission embraces
New Zealand, Australia and Tasmania.
The New Zealand part Of the mission IS
divided into fifteen districts, OF which
twelve are Maori and three European
districts, though some European mis-
sionary work is also carried on IN some
OF the Maori districts. The names OF
the districts commencing with the north
end OF the North Island and finishing
with the south end OF South Island are
as follows Bay OF Islands, Whangarei,
Auckland. Waikato, HaufaKie, Iauran'
"a, Waiapu, Poverty Bay Tor Turan'
ganui), Mania, Hawkes. Bay, Mauawaiu,
Wairarapa, Wairau. Canterbury and
Ohga. The first twelve embrace the
North aud the three last the South
Island The Auckland, Canterbury and
Oiago arc the three European districts.
According to the statistical report OF
December, 1894, the Australasian mis-
sion, exclusive Of Elders rom Zion,
contained I59 Elders, $50 Priests. 100
Ieachere, i53 Deacons aud 1928 lay
members, thus making s,465 the total OF
officers and members. Adding .9j3
under eight years OF age In the families
OF Saints, the grand total Of souls ioots
up to 1898 souls. Only no Of these are
In Australia aud Tasmania. the rest are
IN the New Zealand districts
The colony Of New Zealand which is
a british possession, consists Of three
main Islands with several smaller groups
OF Islands lying at some distance from
the principal group. The main islands
known as the North, the South, (thc
middle aud Stewart Islands, have a
coast line 4, $50 miles In length, namely,
North islanus 2.2oo, South Islands 1000
and Stewart Islands $50 miles. New
Zealand IS mountainous country, but
It has many large plains. In the North
island which is highly volcanic, Is situat-
ed that famous Thermal Springs district.
The South island Is remarkable for its
lofty mountains, with their magnificent
glaciers, and Tor the deep sounds or
hords on the western coast New Lca'
land IS firstly pastoral, and secondly an
agricultural country, Sown grasses are
grown almost everywhere, the extent oil
land laid down being upwards Of 5000,
600 acres, according to government re-
ports. Ia the South island q large area
IS covered with native grasses, and the
large extent Of good grazing land has
made the colony a great wool and meat
producing country. The number Of
sheep in the colony in 1894 was 20, $50,
s2g and the value Of the wool exports
Tor that year was about twenty-five
million dollars. The frozen meat cx'
-
valued at about 100000. The North
island with It's adjacent islets has an
aggregate area Of % 46S square miles,
the South island, WIN adjacent islct,
S2S square miles, and Stewart island
| COS square miles. The area OF New
Zealand Is about one.sixth less than the
area OF Great Britain and Ireland. the
South island alone beng a little larger
than the combined areas OF England
and Wales. The North island extends
over a little more than seven degrees Of
latitude, distance In a direct line from
moth to south OF 435 geographical OF
/ as statute miles; but as the northern
portion OF the island trends to the west
ward the distance In a straight line from
the North Cape to Cape Palliser, the
| extreme notthefly and souiherly point,
OF the island, is about SIS statute miles
| The extreme length OF the South island
is about S25 statute miles. The Sou,l
island IS in,crsedcd along almost It's en-
tire length by range Of mountain
known as the Southern Alps. Some o
the submits reach height Of from 10,
600 TO i2,ooo feet Mount Cook, the
highest peak, rising to -, $40 feet Fol
beauty and grandeur oi scenery IN,
Southern Alps Of New Zealand are sale