81

in a few years Nelson will be the great coaling station
of the Southern hemisphere.

I have the honor to be,
Sir,
Your obedient servant,
JAMES BURNETT,
Colliery Engineer.

P.S. I have not entered on the subject of the quality
of the coal except to say that it is quite equal, if
not superior to the Grey, as the samples will show;
but owing to the nature of the country it would be
difficult to get a large quantity for trial, except at
Mokihinui.

To his Honor the SUPERINTENDENT, Nelson.

SIR—According to instructions conveyed to me in
your letter of March 12, I have the honor to report
that I started the same day, accompanied by Mr. John
Rochfort and the Maori Paul, to visit the Coal-field
on Waimangaroa River.

We proceeded up the Waimangaroa River as far
as the gold-diggings, and then ascended a spur which
brought us out on the table-land, about a mile to the
north-west of the seam discovered by Mr. Haast and
his party two years ago (see Mr. Haast's Report, pages
56 and 114).

Without entering into minute particulars, which it
is impossible for me to do at present, I will endeavor
to convey to you a general idea of that part of the
Grey Coal-field situated North of the Buller, so far
as my limited knowledge of it will permit, reserv-
ing details for my future report, when a more
lengthened visit will enable me to become more
thoroughly acquainted with the district.

This part of the field is situated on the elevated
table-land to the north of Mount Rochfort. I say
part of it, because at present I am not prepared to
state how far it extends in any direction; but this
I can say, that the whole of the table-land (many
thousand acres in extent) is a very rich Coal-field,
containing a great number of workable seams, similar
in quality to the Grey coal, and which can be worked,
I think, at less expense.

The peculiar formation of this part of the country,
broken as it is by deep gullies, which expose the seams
in all directions, presents facilities for working in
several places, and, to a great extent, by free level
(i.e., without artificial drainage). The open nature
of the table-land, and the large extent of rock ex-
posed, are very favorable for exploring. The dip of
the strata is generally very moderate, from 5 to 25°.

Besides a great number of small seams, Mr. Roch-
fort and myself examined the following large ones, all
of which, except the last (No. 5), are in every way
favorable for working; but I cannot, at present, de-
termine the relative position.

The numbers refer to samples of each seam fur-
nished to your Honor on my return from the Coal-
field:—

No. 1.—Found on the northern branch of the
Waimangaroa stream.

Thickness.—Twelve feet, exposed; but how
much more there is below the bed of the river,
I had no means of ascertaining.

Dip.—To S.S.E., 25°.

Above this seam there is a bed of shale a
few feet thick; then eight feet of flaky sand-
stone; then strong coarse grit, which forms
the general surface of the table-land.

No. 2.—Found on the western branch of the
Waimangaroa.

Thickness.—5 feet at least, but could not get
a satisfactory measurement, as the seam was
much destroyed by exposure.

Dip.—To S.W., 15°

No. 3.—Found on the same stream as No. 2, and
at a considerable distance above it, both in
position and order of stratification.

Thickness.—About 8 feet.

Dip.—To S., 5°.

There is a large area of this seam very near
the surface, and I may safely state that 100,000
tons of it could be worked by merely removing
the surface.

No. 4.—Found on the right bank of the Wai-
mangaroa, just at the edge of the table land.

Thickness.—5 feet at least.

Dip.—To S., 7°.

This seam is in a fissure, very much covered
with roots and broken rocks, so it is difficult
to get correct measurement.

No. 5.—Found on the right bank of the Wai-
mangaroa, at the gold-diggings, and not more
than a few hundred feet above the level of the
sea.

Thickness.—About seven feet.

Dip.—To N.E., 70°.

The whole strata round this seam is very
soft and broken, and, although there is a large
surface exposed, it is difficult to say whether
it is in its natural position or part of a slip.
Of course the angle of dip renders working it
out of the question where there is so much coal
with a moderate inclination.

I have said nothing about the quality of the coal
in the above seams, as I have furnished your Honor
with samples of each; but I may observe, generally,
that I think it equal to the Grey coal. It all burns
well and cakes freely, though all the samples are from
the surface.

Should this coal be worked, a tramway will be ne-
cessary from the mines to the port, and the only diffi-
culty in its construction is the ascent to the table
land. This, I think, in the lowest place, does not ex-
ceed 1,500 feet above the level of the sea. The side
of the mountain extends nearly to the port of the
Buller, so a tramway might be taken up it by a gentle
gradient; the length would be about twelve miles,
and the difficulties are by no means so great as those
overcome by the Dun Mountain Railway.

I think it is extremely likely that coal may be
found cropping out on the side of the mountain, con-
siderably below the table land; but I think it probable
that in this position, the angle of dip will be found too
great for convenient working. This, in fact, is the
case in No. 5, and the whole strata in the lower part
of the Waimangaroa river is very much on edge.

In your Honor's company I visited a seam which
has been opened near the mouth of the Ngakuwaho
River, about fifteen miles north of the Buller, but it is
of good quality, and does not at all resemble the
other coal in this district. This is singular, as the
Ngakuwaho flows through the same Coal-field, and
pieces of drift coal found in it shew that good coal
exists there also.

It is reported that a large seam of good coal is
being opened at the Mokihinui River, about twenty
miles north of the Buller, but, as I have not yet had
time to visit the place, I can say nothing about it.

If coal can be easily worked at the Mokihinui, and
the harbor used by vessels of a hundred and fifty or
two hundred tons (which is very doubtful) it may be
the most convenient place for working coal, as an
expensive tramway would not be needed, or it might
be cheaper to make a tramway even to the mouth of
the Buller, than from there to the table land.

As to the Buller Harbor you will have Captain
Clouston's Report, and from what he says, it appears