HAMILTON, AUGUSTUS (1853-1913) was born at Poole, Dorsetshire. Educated at Dorset County College, he began his medical course at Epsom College, but had an inclination for natural history. In 1875 he came to New Zealand in the Collingwood, and commenced teaching at Thorndon school. He was afterwards appointed to Okarito, Westland, and while there made a noteworthy exploration in south Westland collecting plants. While teaching at Petane, Hawke's Bay, he was secretary to the Hawke's Bay Philosophical Society and founded a museum in connection with it. In 1890 he was appointed registrar of Otago University and in 1903 he succeeded Sir James Hector as director of the Dominion Museum.

Hamilton contributed frequently to the proceedings of the New Zealand Institute and published 72 papers in various branches of science, notably botany, ornithology, ethnology and entomology. He took a particular interest in the Maori collection and his most noteworthy published work was a fine volume on Maori Art (1907). He made an expedition to the Macquarie Islands and many excursions in different parts of New Zealand (especially in South Canterbury) in search of specimens of the arts of the native race. His comprehensive collection was acquired by the Government for the Dominion Museum. Hamilton was a governor of the New Zealand Institute, a member of the Maori mission board, a founder of the Polynesian Society, a member of council of the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts and a philatelist. He died on 12 Oct 1913. (See Harold HAMILTON.)

Polyn. Journ., vol 22, p 230; Who's Who N.Z., 1908; Hamilton, op. cit.; Evening Post, 13 Oct 1913.

Reference: Volume 1, page 191

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