46
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.

For the Waipukurau District-Mr. H. R.
Russell's Wool-shed, Waipukurau.
For the Mohaka District-Mr. R. Riddel's
Residence, Mohaka.

Given under my hand, at Govern-
ment House, at Auckland,
this 7th day of February, in
the year of Our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and
fifty nine.

THOMAS GORE BROWNE.

Colonial Secretary's Office,
Auckland, 8th Feb., 1859.

THE following Report of an examination of
a sample of the Hunua Coal at the
Royal Mint, Sydney, is published for general
information.

HENRY JOHN TANCRED,
(For the Colonial Secretary.)

Royal Mint, Sydney,
14th December, 1858.

Report on a Sample of New Zealand Coal,
received for examination, November 16.

DESCRIPTION.-A peculiar dull black Coal,
of clean surface, so as not to soil the fingers,
and bearing some slight resemblance to the
Cannel Coal of England. Remarkably splin-
tery, owing to numerous minute cracks which
penetrate the Coal in all directions. Water
quickly finds its way into these capillary fissures,
producing a very distinct and comparatively
loud decrepitating noise, and causing the Coal
to become very rotten, and even to fall to
pieces afterwards of its own accord. The Coal,
however, is not particularly hugroscopic, that
is does not abstract much moisture from the
air, since a portion of it confined in moist air,
above water did not increase in weight more
than five or six per cent.

The fracture is very irregular and partially
conchoidal, separation also taking place along
the lines of bedding which are often marked by
thin streaks of calcareous matter, or by very
slight deposits of iron pyrites in minute crystals.

NUMERICAL RESULTS.
NEW ZEALAND COAL.

COKE.-In coking this Coal gives off a large
quantity of gas, but does not show the least
signs of bituminous fusion or caking together.
The mass remaining is scarcely distinguishable
from the original Coal except that it is of less
density and more broken and lustrous. It is
rather incombustible.

ASH.-The Coal burns readily with a clear
bright flame leaving light yellow ashes. With
a stronger heat these easily run into a dark
rusty coloured chüker. The components were
found to be silica, alumina, iron, magnesia, and
a considerable proportion of lime, which last
communicates the very objectionable quality of
fusibility. Specific gravity, was found to vary
thus:-

In bulk .......................... 1.297.
In small fragments ............ 1.301.
After standing ten days
in water ........................ 1.311.

In the last case the air was completely ex-
pelled from the minute cracks.

GAS.-The quantity of gas given off by
the coal was determined by heating about 120
grains in a small iron tube retort to a full red
heat. The result in the above table is at the
rate of about 14,000 cubic feet to the ton of
Coal.

The following results were also obtained from
other specimens by the same process for the
sake of comparison.

BELLAMBI COAL.

It would thus appear that the New Zealand
Coal gives from one fourth to one third more
gas than ordinary Coal; the gas is also more
clean and free from tarry matters.

These experiments, however, being on a
small scale and quickly accomplished give
higher results than those obtained in practice;
they are only useful for comparison.

REMARKS.-This Coal would probably be
useful for gas-making, or, provided it were kept
away from water, for house purposes. Its
tendency to break up into small stuff, would
not prevent its employment in furnaces, but
the fusibility of its ash is an objection in this
respect.

(Signed) W. S. JEVONS.
The Deputy Master.

TENDERS FOR FIREWOOD.

Colonial Secretary's Office,
Auckland, 8th Feb., 1859.

TENDERS will be received at this office
until noon of Monday, the 28th instant,
for furnishing the General Government with
firewood, in such quantities as may be required
for the six months commencing the 1st May
next.

The rates per ton to be specified for the
usual size, and also for such as may be required
to be cut and split to suit the fire places in the