Colonial Secretary’s Office,
Wellington, 14th February, 1851.

TENDERS will be received at this Office, on or before the 22nd inst., from persons desirous of furnishing the Local Government with

Two Iron Chests.

The dimensions of the Chests should be given in the tenders.

Tenders to be in duplicate, sealed, and endorsed “Tenders for Iron Chests.”

By His Excellency’s command,
Alfred Domett,
Colonial Secretary.

Colonial Secretary’s Office,
Wellington, 14th February, 1851.

SEALED Tenders, in duplicate, will be received up to 3rd March, from persons willing to contract for the repairs of the Road at Duck Creek, between London’s public-house and Pauatahanui.

The Plans and Specification may be seen on application at the Survey Office, on or after the 25th instant.

By His Excellency’s command,
Alfred Domett,
Colonial Secretary.

Colonial Secretary’s Office,
Wellington, 14th February, 1851.

THE Lieutenant-Governor has been pleased to direct the publication of the following Reports on the Coal and Wood Fuel of the New Zealand Islands, forwarded to His Excellency by Captain J. Lort Stokes, R.N., of Her Majesty’s Steam Ship “Acheron.”

By His Excellency’s command,
Alfred Domett,
Colonial Secretary.

H.M. Steam Ship “Acheron,”
21st December, 1850.

Sir,—I have the honor, in compliance with your Excellency’s request, to enclose herewith a Report on the Coal and Wood Fuel of these Islands, experimented upon in Her Majesty’s Steam Ship under my command.

I regret that the result is not more satisfactory. However, the coal was procured from surface scams, and probably a better quality lies beneath. I earnestly hope so, for on this success depends the question of Steam Navigation for New Zealand, and the attainment of commercial greatness, which, without it, is beyond her reach. But independently of steam purposes, certainly the first consideration, your Excellency is well aware that an ample supply of cheap fuel will be requisite for that large community by which the vast and almost treeless plains of the Middle Island will soon be overpeopled.

I have the honor to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient humble servant,
J. Lort Stokes, Captain.

To His Excellency the
Lieutenant-Governor,
Wellington.

REPORT

On the Coal and Wood Fuel of New Zealand and in reference to their adaptation for Steam purposes, derived from Dr. Forbes’s analysis—with an extract from the “Acheron’s” Engine Room Register, kept by Mr. Thompson, Chief Engineer—

TABLE OF RESULTS FROM DR. FORBES’S EXPERIMENTS.

The several quantities given in the Table, were taken from:

1. A heap of 30 tons.
2. A hand specimen.
3. A heap of 4 tons.
4. A hand specimen.
5. The Government Depot at Wellington, 500 tons.

Portions of each were burned under the same conditions, as nearly as possible, in order to test their individual and relative qualities.

Massacre Bay Coal is a species of anthracite, and when burned in a crucible under the reducing flame of the blowpipe, gives the following results—Ignition slow and difficult; flame feeble, yellowish not persistent, much smoke and strong sulphureous odour; no traces of bituminous matter, or inflammable volatile gases observed.

Waikato Coal ignites more readily than the preceding, burns with a clearer flame and less smoke, and leaves a cinder of better quality. No traces of sulphur were observed, neither were there any of bituminous matter, but in neither case was the heat given out apparently very great.