the waters to low-water mark on all the shores opposite Manhattan island, with the ownership of the ferries for all time, and the proprietorship of all waste and unoccupied lands on the island. The "mayor, aldermen, and commonalty" were made a perpetual corporation. No direct changes were made in this charter for 100 years. In 1829 the people in city convention prepared, and the legislature adopted, the amended charter of 1830. The next amendments were in 1849, when important changes were made. Other changes were made in 1851 and 1853, and in 1857 the charter was materially changed. It was again amended in 1863, and in 1870 the local government was substantially reorganized. The charter of 1870, amended in 1871, was superseded by the present charter in 1873, and this was itself slightly amended in 1874. All these enactments recognize the Dongan and Montgomerie charters as the source of municipal rights, and upon their provisions rest the vast public and private interests of the city. See "History of the City of New York," by D. T. Valentine (1853); "History of New York City," by Mary L. Booth (2 vols., 1867); "History of New York City," by William L. Stone (1872); and "New York and its Institutions, 1609-1873: the Bright Side of New York," by the Rev. J. F. Richmond (1873).
NEW ZEALAND, a British colony consisting of three islands in the South Pacific ocean, called respectively North island or New Ulster, South island or New Munster, and Stewart island or New Leinster, and some minor adjacent islands, extending between lat. 34° 15' and 47° 30' S., and lon. 166° 30' and 178° 45' E., about 1,000 m. S. E. of Australia; pop. in 1872, 279,560, exclusive of about 40,000 aborigines. North island is 500 m. long and of very irregular shape, varying in breadth from 5 to 300 m. South island is 530 m. long, with an average breadth of 110 m. Stewart island is triangular, and measures about 36 m. on each side. North island contains 48,000 sq. m., South island 57,000, and Stewart island 1,000; total area, 106,000 sq. m. The three islands, like Italy, resemble a boot, the toe of which is toward the north. North island is separated from South island by Cook's strait, 18 m. wide in its narrowest part; and South from Stewart island by Foveaux strait, 15 m. wide. The coast line of the whole group is about 3,000 m. in length, of which about one half belongs to North island. The best harbors of this island are in the north, between North cape and Cape Colville, including Auckland and other excellent ports. South of Cape Colville, on the E. side, for the space of 200 m., there are only two safe anchorages, Mercury bay and Tauranga, the former of which does not admit large vessels. On the remainder of the E. coast, for a distance of 400 m., there is no safe harbor except Wellington at the S. end of the island. On the W. coast of North island the principal harbors are Manukua, Kaipara, and Hokianga, which are spacious and secure, but obstructed by sand bars at the entrances. At the N. extremity of South island are many extensive sounds and harbors with deep water; but along the whole of the E. coast, for 500 m., the only harbors are Akaroa, Victoria, and Otago. On the S. and S. W. sides of this island ports are numerous and excellent; and higher up on the W. side is Jackson's bay, a safe anchorage. From Jackson's bay northward, 300 m., the rest of the W. coast of South island is open and exposed. In Stewart island there are several safe harbors. The tide on the E. coast of the group rises to the average height of 8 ft., and on the W. coast 10 ft. The centre of North island is occupied by lofty mountains, which send off spurs in various directions to the seacoast, and are covered from their bases nearly to their summits with primeval forests. The highest mountain of the central range is Ruapehu, 9,195 ft. high, rising into the region of perpetual snow; one of its peaks, Tongariro, is an active volcano, 6,500 ft. high. W. of it, near the coast, is Mt. Egmont, a volcano, 8,270 ft. high; it is a perfect cone, and always capped with snow. Three lines of volcanic craters with high cones stretch across the island, and in the centre of the great bay of Plenty off the N. E. coast is an active volcano called Wakari or White island, 3 m. in circumference and 860 ft. high. South island is traversed by a mountain range running from the N. to the S. W. extremity; in some places it reaches an elevation of 13,000 ft.; the loftiest peak is known as Mt. Cook (13,200 ft.), and the highest portion of the range as the Southern Alps. Toward both the E. and W. coasts this range is abrupt and precipitous. On the east broad and fertile plains, and on the west a narrow strip of land, lie between it and the sea. In the centre of the island are extensive table lands. There are no active volcanoes in South island. Stewart island is mountainous, but the highest summits barely exceed 3,000 ft. North island abounds in rivers and inlets of the sea, which give easy access to the most inland districts. The largest river, the Waikato, rises in the Taupo lake, near the centre, and running N. 200 m. reaches the sea on the W. coast. Several rivers of considerable size flow from the central mountains of South island across the great eastern plain to the sea. These are subject to great and sudden floods from the melting of the mountain snows. The interior of North island abounds in lakes, one of which, Lake Taupo, is 30 m. long and 20 broad; another, Rotomahana, is in parts boiling hot. There are several extensive lakes in the centre of South island, one of which, Te Wai Pounamu, is said to be of a green color and bordered by greenstone rocks. In North island the rocks are primary, metamorphic, volcanic, trappean, and sedimentary. The mountains are chiefly composed of lower slate rocks, intersected with basaltic veins, scoriae, slate,
