VII.—Indurated and Sub-metamorphic Sandstones and Shales, Hornstoneas, and Cherty Slates.

These rocks form the mass of the mountains which constitute [unclear: the] rocky framework of the district. The Lowry Peaks are [unclear: probable] composed of older rocks than the Seaward Range or Cheviot Hills, [unclear: the] former being of Permian age and the latter of lower Jurassic; [unclear: be] this conjecture is merely founded on the mineral character of [unclear: the] rocks, as no fossils were found. No minerals [unclear: of] value are likely occur in these rocks.

North of Wart Hill, on the west boundary of the estate, I [unclear: was] informed that a lode of hæmatite extends for several miles, and [unclear: is] obvious as to have given the name to the creek where it occurs; [unclear: b] whether it belongs to the older or newer formations was not [unclear: astt] tained. Its analysis is as follows (Laboratory No. 6386): [unclear: The] samples of hæmatite:—

No. 1, the darkest sample, contains only 1.10 per cent. of [unclear: water] and 3.61 per cent. of siliceous matter; iron, per cent., 65.89.

No. 2 is a mixture of a pure hæmatite with an argillaceous [unclear: hæmatite]; iron, per cent., 37.14.

The first sample is, therefore, an excellent iron-ore.

Mr. Sinclair presented me with several specimens he had [unclear: pick] up on the beach north from the mouth of the Jed, and [unclear: among] them, besides copper pyrites of good quality, there was a [unclear: fragment] of the rare mineral "alipite," or silicate of nickel-oxide, which is [unclear: the] same ore that is worked by the French Government in New [unclear: Cab]

Store and Cart-shed.

On the Jed.

A Bridge on the [unclear: Buxton].

Waterfall on Buxton Creek.

Most probably this specimen, and many others that were shown to [unclear: me], are foreign to the Cheviot District, and have come down the [unclear: Hurunui] River attached to driftwood.

The distribution of the formations is shown, on the accompanying [unclear: map] on the 80 chains scale. The boundaries shown for the [unclear: formatious] on the eastern side were sketched in from personal inspection. The Cretaceo-tertiary group, which is of chief interest, rests against the western or inland slope of the Cheviot Hills, from the Waiau to the Jed, and then sweeps to the eastward, the latter river escaping over the limestone at the Homestead Ford, and following the outcrop of the sulphur-sands to its mouth. From this point, the lower beds of the formation have been removed by marine denudation, and from the mouth of Buxton's Creek the limestone makes out to seaward, and curving round to the south appears again in the reef, which extends half a mile off shore from the Bluff. It is owing to this reef that the soft marly strata that form the Bluff have escaped denudation. Still, the amount of destruction must have been very great, as, computing by the dip of the strata, at least 60ft. of the limestones, and the whole of the superincumbent sandstones and marls, must have been removed. Behind the landing-slip and engine-house, the green-sands and limestones pass through the hill and re-appear at the north end of Manuka Bay. The older rocks which form the south headland of Gore Bay are chiefly serpentinous slates and hornstones, the latter breaking away in large subspherical masses.

The geological mapping of the central flats and western ranges of the district is only a very rough sketch, founded on information and specimens which were given to me. The existence of the band of greensands and limestone appears to be supported by the general birds'-eye view I obtained from the summits of Mount Caverhill and other trig, stations; and Mr. Marchant observed the limestone among the specimens brought from Benmore and the range northward to Wart Hill. All specimens are from the old Permian formation, with the exception of one specimen of Amuri limestone, which is marked "West Wart Trig.—Palm track," so that the newer formations probably sweep round the base of the ranges as represented.

The stone, is, therefore, of no value, as it contains too much [unclear: silica]

At Mr. Marchant's request I considered the question of [unclear: artes] water-supply, and from the indications afforded by the trough-[unclear: shar] arrangement of the strata, and the existence of powerful [unclear: spring] altitudes up to 400ft. above the plains, where the laminated [unclear: saw] crop out from beneath the cover of greensands, I conclude [unclear: there] fair prospect of getting artesian water from the deep-seated [unclear: strati]

In addition to these, shallow artesian wells should be [unclear: obtain] over the area marked " Formation I.," especially in the northern [unclear: p] of the district, as there must be a considerable leakage [unclear: from] Waiau River into deeper alluvial deposits in a southerly [unclear: distion].

Combined with the search for coal-scams, a systematic [unclear: search] water-supply would afford profitable employment of an [unclear: equg] diamond-drill for a considerable time. Mr. Marchant also [unclear: asked] to give special attention to the nature of the cliff at the [unclear: Bluff,] whether the lofty road-cuttings are likely to stand well.

So far as the marl formation or papa rock of the Bluff [unclear: itself] concerned, the dip of the strata being westward, at from 12° [unclear: to] and, there being no vertical faults of cross cleavage observable, [unclear: I the] cuttings should be quite safe with the batter that is being [unclear: given] them. There may, for some time, be small shoots from [unclear: the] owing to the weather acting on the less coherent beds, and [unclear: the] of these will have to be overcome by constant [unclear: supervision,] immediate removal of any material that falls.

With regard to the first half-mile, between the engine-[unclear: house] Limestone Gully, the ease is very different, the hill-side [unclear: be] gigantic land-slip, which must always be expected to creep [unclear: sew] As there is no room at the present landing-place for the [unclear: erecti] stores and sheds, and any extensive excavation would, owing [unclear: to] treacherous nature of the ground, imperil the safety of the [unclear: slip] machinery, it might be worth considering whether it would [unclear: now] profitable to lay light rails along the new road from the [unclear: landing] to the flat ground north of the Bluff, and to erect the [unclear: sheds]

Port Cutting looking North.

where delivery of both import and export goods could be made. This, by avoiding all wheel-traffic on the cut road, would greatly lessen the cost of maintenance, and in the event of a slip would facilitate thr removal of the débris. It would also afford a cheap arrangement foe conveying heavy blocks from the Point along the road for the purpose of forming a footing, to protect the talus from erosion by the surf. Some such protection is absolutely required at once for the first part of the road, where it breasts the big land-slip.

In conclusion, the result of my examination of the district has been to show that the reported discovery of coal is of no economic value but that further search for coal-seams in the lower greensands, by boring or excavating in certain localities, is warranted by the geological structure of the country.