Today In New Zealand History, 6 November. This series consists of approximately 365 short historical features that detail an important moment in New Zealand history - one for each day of the year. The instalment for 6 November focuses on the life of the Scottish-New Zealand Geologist James Hector.
On 6 November 1907, Sir James Hector died at Lower Hutt. Hector was a Scot, who came to New Zealand in 1862 to carry out a geological survey of Otago. Details are given of his work in Canada, prior to his coming to New Zealand.
In Otago, Hector made a valuable report on coal deposits, and explored the West Coast and the country between the coast and Central Otago. He was organiser for the New Zealand Industrial Exhibition in 1865, and was appointed Government Geologist in 1866. He also directed the Mines Department and the Colonial Museum. He was instrumental in founding the New Zealand Institute (later the Royal Society of New Zealand) and was knighted in 1888.