The Coolidge examiner., 1937-07-22

the deck of the Heemskirk in
the South Pacific and gaZed
out toward an unknown
great, high, bold land. At
the hands of an unimagina-
tive photographer the new
wavy lines added to the map
became New Zealand, after
the Netherlands Province of
iceland, to which it bears not
the least resemblance. The
appropriateness ofits name,
however, is not the only par
adox of this British dominion
of the Far South.
Captain James Cook, who first
explored the islands century and
a quarter later, took possession OF
them for his country only to have
his claims rejected. Britain still Ia
ter hoisted the Union Jack over the
land to prevent French immigrants
from settling in the place they cher
ished. The country's capital bears
the name Wellington, but the Iron
Duke stood firm against the annex
alton.
Many New Zealanders who have
never been away from the islands
shores, and whose parents likewise
were born in the Dominion, still
speak of England as 'home."
Here in an area approximately
the size Of Colorado are grouped
the snow-mantled peaks Of Switzer-
lend, geysers of Yellowstone, vol
canic cones of Java and japan,
and the lakes of Italy; the mineral
springs Of Czechoslovakia, fiords of
Norway, seacoasts Of Maine and
California, and waterfalls higher
than Yosemite.
Largest and Smallest Pines.
Glaciers slip down sharp noun
tainsides from vast snow fields into
subtropical bush. A short ride
through a pass in the southern Alps
will take one from impenetrable
evergreen forests into barren tus-
sock-covered lands.
New Zealand is the home Of the
massive kauri pines, some of which
measure % feet in diameter and
have reached hoary ages that rank
them next to the sequoias. 1t also
is the home of the smallest known
representative Of the pine-tree fam
lily. Giant fuchsias grow to tn e
height of 40 feet; white buttercup
has blooms four inches in diameter;
fax is produced from lily; man
has imported all Of the mammals,
and many of the native birds can
not fly.
The Maoris were the first-known
colonists of these southern islands.
Guided only by the stars and a
knowledge Of the winds and ocean
currents, they boldly piloted their
slender double canoes from their
homeland of "Hawaiki" (probably
Tahiti and the Cook islands) to the
shores of New Zealand in the Four
teenth century. Legend credits them
with having followed the sailing di-
rections of the famous Polynesian
navigator, Kupe, who is said to
have preceded them by 400 years.
To the new land they gave the
lifting, vowel studded name, 40
tea-roa, which is variously trans
lated as The Long White Cloud, !"
THE Land of Long Daylight. and
1.-The Long, Bright Land"
Here they lived, increased,
warred against each other, and cul-
tivated their taro and the more
important kumara, or sweet potato,
which they brought with them. Then
came whalers, missionaries, d
traders; and colonists arrived with
gunpowder, conflicting social stand
ards, and the desire to carve out
new homes.
Principal City Thrives.
Protracted Maori wars, contested
land claims, the discovery Of gold,
land booms, and a heavy depres-
sion-New Zealand passed through
them all before she settled down
to economic equilibrium.
With its 221, 300 people Auckland
today has more than twice the
British population of the whole
country in the early COS Of the
last century. AS ship nears the
end of its 6,000-mile journey from
the west coast Of the United States,
or the 1,200-mile span from Aus
tralia, it skirts the islands that stud
the cobalt waters of Hauraki gulf,
enters Waitemata harbor, and
finally ties up at the very foot OF
the thriving city.
The early colonists chose well
when they staked out this harbor-
side settlement that once served
the country as capital and now II