440
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.

With regard to several proposed lines of telegrahpic
communication my Lords are glad to find that, with
some slight exceptions, the whole of the routes along
which the lines in question would be laid have been
examined, and the soundings completed sufficiently
for telegraphic purposes, by the Admiralty, and
marked in charts, the incomplete portions of the
lines being between Java and Australia, of which
about one-half has been sounded; between Saigon
and Hong Kong, of which about one-half has been
sounded, and the remainder is in progress; between
China and Japan, of which about one-third has been
sounded.

My Lords have now only to add that (whilst
acting on the principles laid down for their guidance
in the foregoing Minute), they will be prepared to
give their attentive consideration to any proposals
which may be submitted to them for carrying out any
of the schemes of telegraphic communication above
adverted to, by parties who can adduce satisfactory
proof of their possessing the necessary pecuniary
means for carrying such undertaking into effect,
whether by submarine cables, or, when circumstances
will admit, by alternative land lines; and my Lords
will make arrangements with the Admiralty so as to
afford such parties the opportunity of inspecting the
surveys referred to.

Transmit copy of this Minute to Sir F. Rogers,
and request that in laying the same before the Earl
of Carnarvon he will state to His Lordship, that my
Lords, in laying down principles for their own
governance in regard to the amount of encouragement
which it may be deemed expedient on the part of the
Imperial Government to afford towards the extension
of telegraphic communication, have no wish to
interfere with any arrangements, whether pecuniary
or otherwise, which the Governments of any of the
Australian Colonies may be inclined to enter into
with any Company or Companies formed for the
furtherance of the object in question.

Transmit copy of this Minute to Mr Hammond,
for the information of Lord Stanley; to Mr. Romaine
for the information of the Lords Commissioners of
the Admiralty; to Mr. Merivale, for the information
of the Secretary of State for India in Council; and
to Mr. Farrer, for the information of the Board of
Trade.

Colonial Secretary's Office,
Wellington, 13th November, 1867.

THE following Notice respecting the Sale of the
Waikato Coal Mines, is published for general
information.

E. W. STAFFORD.

WAIKATO COAL MINES—SPECIAL RURAL LAND.

Auckland, 2nd October, 1867.

UNDER and in pursuance of the powers vested in
as Commissioner appointed by His Excellency the
Governor, to carry out the regulations for the sale of
lands taken for settlement under "The New Zealand
Settlements Act, 1863," in the Province of Auckland,
I do hereby notify that the land specified in the
Schedule hereunder written, will be offered for sale,
by auction, in accordance with the said regulations,
at the Waste Lands Office, Auckland, on Monday,
2nd December, at noon.

| Surveyor's
No. | Parish
No. | Area. | Upset Price. |
| :---: | :---: | :---: | :---: |
| | 9 | A. R. P. | £ s. d. |
| | | 4,350 0 0 | 2,175 0 0 |

DANIEL POLLEN,
Commissioner.

Auckland, 28th October, 1867.

The probable area of the coal field within this
block has been estimated by Captain Hutton to be
(400) four hundred acres, the average thickness of
the coal seam, throughout the area, to be (13)
thirteen feet, the quantity of coal contained therein
to be (8,000,000) eight million tons. The block
includes the mine opened by the Colonial Govern-
ment for the supply of coal to the river steamers, and
now in perfect order and full work.

The mining plant, tramway, waggons, &c., &c.,
will be given to the purchaser without additional
charge.

Plans of the land, map, and sections of the coal
fields, together with the report furnished to the
Government, are open for examination at the Survey
Office.

Terms of Payment.

One-fourth of the purchase money at the time of
sale, by way of deposit, the remaining three-fourths
within three calendar months after the sale. In the
event of the second payment not being made as
aforesaid, the sale to be void and the deposit forfeited.

Extract from Captain Hutton's Report on the
Geology of the Lower Waikato.

• • • The appearance of this coal (from the
      mine at Kupakupa) is much like Cannel Coal, having
      a lustrous pitch black colour, with brown films in
      places. It does not soil the fingers. Its fracture
      is conchoidal, shining and hard, and it does not fall
      to pieces easily. Both the streak and powder are
      black and glistening. It is easily ignited, and burns
      with a bright clear flame. It is burnt with much
      satisfaction on board all the steamers plying on the
      Waikato, and I am of opinion that it will be found
      equal if not superior to any of the hydrous coals of
      New Zealand. The coal can be got without pumping
      or the use of any mechanical means for raising it to
      the surface.

• ---

Colonial Secretary's Office,
Wellington, 13th November, 1867.

THE following Notifications of the sale of Confis-
cated Lands in the Province of Auckland, are
published for general information.

E. W. STAFFORD.

PUBLIC NOTIFICATION.

UNDER and in pursuance of the powers vested in me
as Commissioner appointed by His Excellency the
Governor, to carry out the Regulations for the Sale
of Lands taken for Settlement under "The New
Zealand Settlements Act, 1863," in the Province
of Auckland, I do hereby notify that the Town,
Suburban and Special Rural Lands specified in the
Schedule hereunder written, will be offered for Sale
by public auction, in accordance with the said Regu-
lations, at the Waste Lands Office, at Auckland, at
noon, on Monday, the 2nd day of December, 1867.

DANIEL POLLEN,
Commissioner.

Auckland, 28th October, 1867.

SCHEDULE.

TOWN OF TAURANGA.
Section No. 2.