Geological Report by Sir James Hector, F.R.G.S., Etc.

As directed by the Surveyor-General's letter of the [unclear: 1880] August, I recently visited Cheviot with the view of ascertaining [unclear: in] there is any value in a reported find of coal there.

I was kindly assisted by Mr. F. Stephenson Smith, District [unclear: Suveyor], and the other officers of the department, so that in a few [unclear: days] was enabled to obtain a fair knowledge of the geological structure [unclear: of] the eastern part of the district, comprising the Seaward Range and [unclear: the] Port Hills. I did not traverse the Western Hills or Lowry [unclear: Peat] but a large series of rock specimens carefully located on the map [unclear: we] obtained for me by Mr. Marchant, Chief Surveyor, so that I [unclear: have] also been able to fill in on the map approximately the areas [unclear: occupie] by the different formations in that part of the estate.

The general structure of the district is that of a trough-[unclear: shape] depression, the sides being formed of hills of from 1,000ft. [unclear: the] 1,700ft, above the sea-level, formed of the older framework [unclear: rock] of the country, and enclosing a variety of newer formations, [unclear: which] form rolling downs and rich bottoms. The axis of this trough [unclear: lie] north and south, and it extends from the Waiau to the Hurunui.

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The accompanying maps and sections will serve to illustrate the structure of the country, the following formations being present:—