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Hector’s missing geological map of Otago, 1864 Doug Coombs, Dunedin For many years James Hector’s hand-coloured Geological Map of the Province of Otago hung in the museum of the Geology Department at the University of Otago. It was a truly historic document, the culminating achievement of Hector’s years as Geologist for the Otago Provincial Government from 1862 to 1864. During that time Hector carried out, effectively single-handedly, a geological reconnaissance of the whole of the South Island south of the Waitaki River. The map measures 1.380 x 1.570 m, and is well remembered by older members and former students of the Geology Department. It has not been seen since the late 1970s. At about that time, the late Doug (J.D.) Campbell and I had become concerned about deterioration of the map, and we discussed giving it to the Hocken Library at the University for safe keeping and possible repair. Doug was acting HOD for several spells during 1978- 1979, and in so far as I thought about the map subsequently, I assumed it was in the Hocken. Late in 2005 it transpired that it was not to be found there. A photograph of the map in damaged condition was taken in the Department during the 1970s (Fig. 1). The legend on the map reads as follows: GEOLOGICAL MAP OF THE PROVINCE OF OTAGO NEW ZEALAND BY JAMES HECTOR MD FGS PROVINCIAL GEOLOGIST GEOGRAPHICAL DETAIL FROM THE INITIAL SURVEY OF THE ADMIRALTY AND THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT 1864 At least 19 separately coloured formations are shown on the map, but the key is illegible in the surviving photograph. The first clue to the fate of the map came when a dismantled wooden frame was found in the Geology basement with a note attached saying it was the frame of the Hector map, being restored in Auckland with a grant from the Art Galleries and Museums Association of N Z). The note gave the names of two staff members of the Otago Museum and the initials JDC. Exhaustive enquiries have established the following: 1. The map belongs to the Hocken Collections, but at some date in the distant past it was lent to the Geology Department for display in the Department Museum. 2. According to a letter dated 28.10.1977 from the Hocken Librarian, M.G. Hitchings, to AGMANZ and held in Te Papa, the Auckland City Art Gallery agreed to undertake repair and cleaning work, the price to be $300. The Dunedin Art Gallery had apparently quoted $500. 3. A letter dated 1.11.1978 from the Director of the Dunedin Public Art Gallery to the Secretary of AGMANZ states: “We understand this item is now in Auckland Gallery, and that it cannot be treated there. We are willing and able to cope with the restoration of this if we are called upon to do so.” 4. Staff of the Auckland Art Gallery have searched for the map recently and have not found any record of its having been there. The same applies to Auckland Central Library, Auckland Museum, and the University of Auckland Geology Department. GSNZ Newsletter 143 (2007) Page 42
5. No past or present member of Otago Museum staff can throw further light on the problem, nor can the Director or staff of the Dunedin Public Art Gallery, nor many other individuals who have been approached. 6. The letter from Mr Hitchings referred to above, describing the map’s condition, states: “Col. photo attached”. According to Te Papa archives, no photograph is now attached to the letter. The photo shown in Fig. 1 is the best we currently have. An enquiry by Tony Hocken to the Geological Society of London has opened up a new twist: an undated map by Hector titled “Geological Sketch Map of the Province of Otago”. This map measures 370 mm horizontally x388 mm vertically (Fig. 2). It is held in an archival collection devolving from Sir Roderick Impey Murchison. Presumably Hector sent this sketch map to Murchison, a mentor of his, to show the sort of work he was doing in New Zealand. There are interesting differences between the geology shown in the two maps; most importantly, the finished map better portrays the Southland Syncline in southeast Otago. As his time in Otago ran out, Hector moved his attention to the broader fields of New Zealand geology. His “SKETCH MAP of the GEOLOGY OF NEW ZEALAND embodying the results of all researches up to 1865” is reproduced in New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics, vol. 8, p 904 (1965). It was signed by Hector, now describing himself as Colonial Geologist, in January 1865. Hector apparently prepared this for the New Zealand Industrial Exhibition held in Dunedin that year. The same issue of NZJGG, pp 902, 903, contains geological maps of both the North and South Islands compiled about 1840–1850 by Walter B.D. Mantell. These were also praiseworthy efforts for those early days, but in no way diminish the remarkable progress achieved by Hector during his brief term as Otago Provincial Geologist. I am grateful to Tony Hocken for allowing me to reproduce Hector’s preliminary sketch map and for much other help; to Bob Carter and Tony Reay for colour slides of the 1864 map; to Daphne Lee; to Stuart Strachan, the Hocken Librarian; and to the innumerable other individuals and institutions who have helped in the search. Fig. 1. A photograph taken in the 1970s of James Hector’s 1864 Geological Map of the Province of Otago prepared for the Otago Provincial Government. GSNZ Newsletter 143 (2007) Page 43
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