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COVER : Whether you are Catholic, Irish or just in search of a good time, St. Patrick’s Day (March 17) in Auckland provides the perfect excuse for high jinks. Named for a bishop who brought Christianity to Ireland almost 1600 years ago, the day has expanded from a Catholic holy day into a celebration of all things Irish.
CONTENTS - Features :
OUR LADY OF THE ANTIPODES [The church started in Aotearoa by a French bishop and later heavily influenced by the Irish is now developing a more indigenous character, and looks increasingly likely to become our largest Christian denomination in the near future];
SEALS ON THE REBOUND [Sleek and graceful in the water - but tending to be layabouts on the land - New Zealand fur seals have always been popular with visitors. Two hundred years ago sealers almost exterminated the species, but it is now staging a steady resurgence - to the consternation of some fishermen]; ROADSIDE CROSSES : A MEMORIAL AND A MESSAGE [It is 10 years since the first white crosses were planted beside State Highway 2, west of Katikati, and although transit authorities initially opposed them, they have now become an integral part of the highway landscape and central to our awareness of road safety];
KEAS IN THE LAND OF THE KIWI [Swaggers were eccentrics and opportunists, ever on the lookout for a free meal, a whisky on the sly, a shakedown for the night. Like our mischievous mountain parrot, they added a dash of colour to our colonial culture];
HOME ON THE RANGE [Lace up your boots, shoulder a pack and head off into the hills. Chances are you’ll end up spending your nights in a tramping hut. Some are large and well equipped, others small, basic and spartan. Without them, we wouldn’t be the outdoor people we like to think we are];
CONTENTS - Departments :
GEONEWS [spider silk; frog fungus; tsunami]; WEATHER [ensemble forecasting]; COMING UP [What’s in store];