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The Motupipi coal is of the same geological age, and of the same description, as the Drury coal at Auckland. It is to be regretted that works commenced with so much judgment and regularity, and which might easily be continued, should be no longer carried on, in consequence of the high price of the fuel, and the difficulty of putting it on board the ship. To obviate the last difficulty, Mr. Burnett proposes a coal depot at the Tata Islands, where vessels could easily take it in.

TERTIARY FORMATION OF BLIND BAY.

That the waters of Blind Bay at one time extended much further to the south, and covered a larger area, than they do now, is proved by the fact of a tertiary formation filling up the space inclosed between the eastern and western ranges from the lake country to the shores of the Waimea; but the most part this formation is again covered by a more recent deposit of rolled stones, gravels, and diluvium, which at some places attains a thickness of 1,200 to 1,500 feet. So that the tertiary formation comes to the surface only just at the foot of the ranges, or where the rivers have cut through the diluvium and exposed the tertiary marls beneath.

I have before mentioned the fossiliferous marls, sandstones, and the coal seams of the Wangapeka district; in the hills between the Buller river and the Rotorua lake the same fossiliferous marls are met with. On the eastern side, near Nelson, the marine strata of the tertiary formation form the cliffs from Green-point to the Waimea plains; and in a line between the town and the village of Richmond the brown-coal formation extends, opened up at Mr. Jenkins's coal mine.

The first excursion which I made after visiting Nelson, was by the cliffs to this coal mine, and it was with great surprise that I saw the extraordinary disturbances which must have taken place in the stratification. The dip of the strata is towards the east, at an angle of about sixty degrees. As it is geologically impossible that a newer tertiary stratum can underlie the older slate formations of the ranges, it follows that the strata about Mr. Jenkins's coal mine, by an immense force from the eastward, must have been completely turned over; and in the mine itself there is abundant proof of this. The strata there show unmistakable evidences that they have been rubbed and pressed together. Under these circumstances it is very doubtful whether a mine in that particular place could be successfully worked. To Mr. Jenkins the people of Nelson are indebted for proving to them that they have coal in the immediate vicinity of the town, and I think it not improbable that in the same line of stratification between Nelson and Richmond, a place may be found where, perhaps, at a greater depth, the coal seams lie in their natural position, and workings may be carried on with success.

The diluvial formation, which constitutes what is commonly known as the Moutere and Wai-iti hills, extending over an immense track of country towards the south, so far as to the Rotorua lake, is nothing else than the detritus of the eastern and western ranges accumulated during a long period. It is not surprising, therefore, seeing that a portion comes from the auriferous rocks of the western ranges, that prospecting parties of diggers should have found gold at various spots between those hills. And it is a fact that the first gold in this province was discovered in a stream which cuts through this diluvium. I refer to the Motueka diggings in Pig Valley, at the foot of the western ranges. I have heard that quite recently these diggings have been resumed with some success. Bearing in mind the source from which the gold is derived, I think it likely that the nearer to the western ranges the richer will be the diluvium; but it is at the same time doubtful if it is rich enough, for any extent, to be of much consequence.

I have had many questions put to me with regard to the origin and character of the Nelson Boulderbank: I have not time to give such an explanation of it as I should wish to present to you. The boulders of which it consists are entirely syenite, and the same rock is found on the precipitous bluff which abuts upon the sea beyond Drumduan. The source is thus explained:—Fragments are constantly falling from the cliffs, and the action of the heavy northerly swell, combined with a strong current, takes them towards the south. The reason of their being deposited on the existing line is, that in all probability a submarine reef underlies them, of which the Arrow Rock in the entrance of the Nelson harbour may be regarded as the southern termination. This supposition is strengthened by the fact of the Arrow Rock being of the same altered schists as occur immediately to the south of the syenite.

Before concluding, I wish to make a few remarks upon Volcanic Formations in the province, and upon some general matters.

5.—VOLCANIC FORMATIONS.

Although there are no signs of a volcanic action still going on in the Middle Island, as far as regards active volcanoes, solfataras, and fumaroles, like those in the Northern Island, we have at the same time plenty of proof that volcanic action has not been less powerful in the Middle Island than in the Northern.

I have not had an opportunity of visiting the volcanic districts of this island; but still,