The tempo of events in New Zealand geological history*

An orthodox review of New Zealand stratigraphy and structure, although perhaps appropriate to a Centenary conference, would nevertheless be weighty and indigestible; it would, moreover, take up far too much time unless reduced entirely to those aspects we are all fairly familiar with. Rather than that, I will concentrate on something that is fundamental to geological history—even though in New Zealand, as elsewhere, facts are few and assumptions abundant.