HOWITT, HERBERT CHARLTON (1838-63) was born at Esher, Surrey, the son of William Howitt and Mary Howitt, the poet, and brother of the Australian explorer A. W. Howitt. From his infancy he showed a passionate love of nature, animal and plant life. He received a good education, but was more interested in gardening, farming and the construction of implements. For a few years he was in a business office, walking into London each day.

In his early twenties Howitt came to Australia and spent two years with his father and brother on a bush selection. After they returned to England he decided to settle in New Zealand and arrived in Canterbury in 1860. He found employment under the provincial government prospecting for gold on the West Coast and in Jan 1863 was instructed to open out a route to the goldfields from the Hurunui plain to the mouth of the Grey or the Teramakau. Having sent back two of his men as unfit for the strenuous work, he marked out and cut 40 miles of the track through Harper's pass and down the Teramakau. Having fixed a camp on Lake Brunner, he carried on into the winter, living mainly on eels and birds. He lent his horses to Lauper, the survivor of Whitcombe's party, to get back to Canterbury.

About the end of Jun Howitt lost his life, the only survivor of his party being Hammett, who found his way to the mouth of the Teramakau.

Encycl. Brit.; Money; Austral. Encycl.; Howitt; Harrop, Westland; Sherrin's journal in The Press, Jan 1864; Lyttelton Times, 27 Dec 1863.

Reference: Volume 1, page 225

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