Julius von Haast
Encyclopedia
Sir Johann Franz "Julius" von Haast (1 May 1824 – 16 August 1887) was a German
geologist
. He founded Canterbury Museum at Christchurch
.
, Kingdom of Prussia
. He received his early education partly in that town and partly in Cologne
, and then entered the university of Bonn
, where he studied geology
and mineralogy
. In 1858 he travelled to New Zealand
to report on the suitability of the colony for German emigrants. He then became acquainted with Ferdinand von Hochstetter
, and assisted him in the preliminary geological survey which von Hochstetter had undertaken.
Afterwards Dr Haast accepted offers from the governments of Nelson
and Canterbury
Provinces to investigate the geology of those districts, and the results of his detailed labours greatly enriched our knowledge with regard to the rocky structure, the glacial
phenomena and the economic products. He discovered gold
and coal
in Nelson, and he carried on important researches with reference to the occurrence of Moa
and other extinct flightless birds.
His Geology of the Provinces of Canterbury and Westland, N.Z., was published in 1879. He was the founder of the Canterbury Museum at Christchurch
, of which he became director, and for which he endeavoured to render the finest collection in the southern hemisphere. He was surveyor-general
of Canterbury from 1861 to 1871, and professor of geology at Canterbury College
(now University of Canterbury
). He was elected fellow of the Royal Society
in 1867, and was given a hereditary knighthood by the Emperor of Austria in 1875. He was knighted for his services at the time of the Colonial Exhibition in London
in 1886, and died shortly after his return to Christchurch, in 1887. He is buried in the grounds of Holy Trinity Church
in Stanmore Road, Christchurch.
Haast named the Franz Josef Glacier
after the Emperor of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Several places in New Zealand are named for him, including Haast Pass
, the Haast River
and the town of Haast
. The schist
found in New Zealand is called the "Haast Schist
" as a tribute to his contributions to geology
. He was the first person to study the bones of the extinct Haast's eagle
.
He married Mary Dobson, daughter of the Canterbury Provincial Engineer Edward Dobson
, in 1863. They had four sons and a daughter.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
geologist
Geologist
A geologist is a scientist who studies the solid and liquid matter that constitutes the Earth as well as the processes and history that has shaped it. Geologists usually engage in studying geology. Geologists, studying more of an applied science than a theoretical one, must approach Geology using...
. He founded Canterbury Museum at Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
.
Biography
Haast was born at BonnBonn
Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located in the Cologne/Bonn Region, about 25 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official seat of government of united Germany from 1990 to 1999....
, Kingdom of Prussia
Kingdom of Prussia
The Kingdom of Prussia was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918. Until the defeat of Germany in World War I, it comprised almost two-thirds of the area of the German Empire...
. He received his early education partly in that town and partly in Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
, and then entered the university of Bonn
University of Bonn
The University of Bonn is a public research university located in Bonn, Germany. Founded in its present form in 1818, as the linear successor of earlier academic institutions, the University of Bonn is today one of the leading universities in Germany. The University of Bonn offers a large number...
, where he studied geology
Geology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
and mineralogy
Mineralogy
Mineralogy is the study of chemistry, crystal structure, and physical properties of minerals. Specific studies within mineralogy include the processes of mineral origin and formation, classification of minerals, their geographical distribution, as well as their utilization.-History:Early writing...
. In 1858 he travelled to New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
to report on the suitability of the colony for German emigrants. He then became acquainted with Ferdinand von Hochstetter
Ferdinand von Hochstetter
Christian Gottlieb Ferdinand Ritter von Hochstetter was a German geologist.He was born at Esslingen, Württemberg, the son of Christian Ferdinand Friedrich Hochstetter , a clergyman and professor at Bonn, who was also a botanist and mineralogist...
, and assisted him in the preliminary geological survey which von Hochstetter had undertaken.
Afterwards Dr Haast accepted offers from the governments of Nelson
Nelson, New Zealand
Nelson is a city on the eastern shores of Tasman Bay, and is the economic and cultural centre of the Nelson-Tasman region. Established in 1841, it is the second oldest settled city in New Zealand and the oldest in the South Island....
and Canterbury
Canterbury, New Zealand
The New Zealand region of Canterbury is mainly composed of the Canterbury Plains and the surrounding mountains. Its main city, Christchurch, hosts the main office of the Christchurch City Council, the Canterbury Regional Council - called Environment Canterbury - and the University of Canterbury.-...
Provinces to investigate the geology of those districts, and the results of his detailed labours greatly enriched our knowledge with regard to the rocky structure, the glacial
Glacier
A glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...
phenomena and the economic products. He discovered gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
and coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
in Nelson, and he carried on important researches with reference to the occurrence of Moa
Moa
The moa were eleven species of flightless birds endemic to New Zealand. The two largest species, Dinornis robustus and Dinornis novaezelandiae, reached about in height with neck outstretched, and weighed about ....
and other extinct flightless birds.
His Geology of the Provinces of Canterbury and Westland, N.Z., was published in 1879. He was the founder of the Canterbury Museum at Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
, of which he became director, and for which he endeavoured to render the finest collection in the southern hemisphere. He was surveyor-general
Surveyor General
The Surveyor General is an official responsible for government surveying in a specific country or territory. Originally this would often have been a military appointment, but is now more likely to be a civilian post....
of Canterbury from 1861 to 1871, and professor of geology at Canterbury College
University of Canterbury
The University of Canterbury , New Zealand's second-oldest university, operates its main campus in the suburb of Ilam in the city of Christchurch, New Zealand...
(now University of Canterbury
University of Canterbury
The University of Canterbury , New Zealand's second-oldest university, operates its main campus in the suburb of Ilam in the city of Christchurch, New Zealand...
). He was elected fellow of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
in 1867, and was given a hereditary knighthood by the Emperor of Austria in 1875. He was knighted for his services at the time of the Colonial Exhibition in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1886, and died shortly after his return to Christchurch, in 1887. He is buried in the grounds of Holy Trinity Church
Holy Trinity Avonside
Holy Trinity Avonside was a heritage-listed Anglican church located in Linwood, Christchurch, New Zealand. It is registered as a "Historic Place – Category I" by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust...
in Stanmore Road, Christchurch.
Haast named the Franz Josef Glacier
Franz Josef Glacier
The Franz Josef is a long glacier located in Westland Tai Poutini National Park on the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island...
after the Emperor of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Several places in New Zealand are named for him, including Haast Pass
Haast Pass
Haast Pass is a mountain pass in the Southern Alps of the South Island of New Zealand. It is named for Julius von Haast, a 19th century explorer who was also geologist for the Provincial government of Canterbury...
, the Haast River
Haast River
The Haast River has its terminus on the West Coast of the South Island of New Zealand.The Haast River drains the western watershed of the Haast Pass. It is 100 kilometres in length, and enters the Tasman Sea near Haast township. The river's main tributary is the Landsborough River.The grassy flats...
and the town of Haast
Haast, New Zealand
Haast is an area in the Westland District territorial authority on the west coast of New Zealand's South Island. The Haast region covers over ....
. The schist
Schist
The schists constitute a group of medium-grade metamorphic rocks, chiefly notable for the preponderance of lamellar minerals such as micas, chlorite, talc, hornblende, graphite, and others. Quartz often occurs in drawn-out grains to such an extent that a particular form called quartz schist is...
found in New Zealand is called the "Haast Schist
Haast Schist
The Haast Schist is a New Zealand schist that is found on the eastern side of the Alpine Fault. Metamorphic grade progresses from greenschist through biotite schist to garnet schist. Myrmekitic textures occur within oligoclase within the garnet zone....
" as a tribute to his contributions to geology
Geology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
. He was the first person to study the bones of the extinct Haast's eagle
Haast's Eagle
Haast's Eagle was a species of massive eagles that once lived on the South Island of New Zealand. The species was the largest eagle known to have existed. Its prey consisted mainly of gigantic flightless birds that were unable to defend themselves from the striking force and speed of these eagles,...
.
He married Mary Dobson, daughter of the Canterbury Provincial Engineer Edward Dobson
Edward Dobson
Edward Dobson was Provincial Engineer for the Canterbury Province from 1854 to 1868.-Early life:Edward Dobson was born in London, probably in 1816 or 1817. His parents were John Dobson, a merchant, and Elizabeth Barker. By the time he started his apprenticeship as an architect and surveyor in...
, in 1863. They had four sons and a daughter.