✨ Geological Report
NEW ZEALAND
GOVERNMENT GAZETTE.
PROVINCE OF CANTERBURY.
Published by Authority.
All Public Notifications which appear in this Gazette, with any Official Signature, are to be considered as Official Communications made to those persons to whom they may relate, and are to be obeyed accordingly.
By His Honor’s Command,
THOMAS WILLIAM MAUDE,
Provincial Secretary.
VOL. IX.] FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24, 1862. [No. XVIII.
NOTES ON THE GEOLOGY OF THE PROVINCE OF CANTERBURY, N.Z.
To His Honor The Superintendent.
Sir,—In accordance with the wish expressed in your letter, I now beg to forward you the following interim report of my recent geological investigations in this Province.
Before entering, however, into the main object of my Report, I shall briefly state in what directions my Geological Surveys have been made, so as to enable you to see what has been accomplished during a period of nineteen months, thirteen of which I passed in the field.
From February, 1861, to June of the same year, I surveyed the rivers Ashburton and Rangitata and their different branches to their very sources, fixing on the unsurveyed ground all the principal topographical features. Returning thence towards the middle of June, I started for the Malvern Hills, where I was occupied for six weeks in provisionally examining this most important zone, until heavy falls of snow drove me back to lower regions.
At the end of October I visited the Kowai Coal-fields (Malvern Hills) superintending the drive excavated on behalf of the Provincial Government, in order to test the extent of the valuable coal measures in that district. During a stay of about eleven weeks I accomplished this task, surveying carefully at the same time the whole neighbourhood, including Mount Torlesse and the Thirteen Mile Bush Range.
At the end of January I proceeded to the Mount Cook district, with a view to ascertain if any auriferous rocks occurred in that region, at the same time continuing my regular geological survey. During a lapse of over four months I accomplished, with the active and hearty co-operation of Mr. Arthur Dobson, my assistant in the topographical work, chaining about 180 miles, the survey of the extensive river system which forms Lakes Tekapo, Pukaki, and Ohou.
This brought me into the very heart of the Southern Alps of New Zealand, which, in grandeur and beauty, are worthy rivals of their European namesakes. The ground travelled over has been so extensive, and the collected geological details are so varied, that at present it will be impossible to offer more than a summary outline of the geological structure of that part of the Province.
Vol. 9, No. 18.
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Canterbury Provincial Gazette 1862, No 18
✨ LLM interpretation of page content
🌾 Interim Report on Geological Investigations in Canterbury
🌾 Primary Industries & ResourcesGeological Surveys, Canterbury, Ashburton, Rangitata, Malvern Hills, Kowai Coal-fields, Mount Torlesse, Thirteen Mile Bush Range, Mount Cook, Lakes Tekapo, Pukaki, Ohou
- Arthur Dobson, Assistant in topographical work
- Thomas William Maude, Provincial Secretary