91

E.—l.

The coal from this locality has been used by the blacksmith in Wangarei with considerable satisfaction, and would appear to be of a somewhat better quality than the rest of the Wangarei coals. Awaroa Creek. Several bore-holos have been put down hero with a view of discovering coal near the edge of tho harbour, but up to the present time with no success ; and the coal appears to be replaced here by a lower belt of limestone. Waikato Disteict. Bridgewater Colliery (Foote's). The winning of this coal has only been recently commenced, but a seam of coal 55 feet thick has been struck in the main shaft, and a level, heading south from this shaft, has reached a point below the Maramarua Swamp, at the edge of which the shaft was sunk. In association with this coal seam three valuable bands of iron-stone have been discovered, yielding about 40 per cent, of metallic iron. Rahuipokeka (Ralph's) Mine. This mine is situated on the east bank of the Waikato Eiver, at the base of the Taupiri Eanges, and is wrought by a tunnel, upon an irregular system of square work. The portion of the seam of coal worked at present is 18 feet thick, and is the same seam as that which occurs at Foote's mine. Tho workings were rising on the coal, and recently a further thickness of 13 feet has been proved by sinking on the then floor of the coal, wnich proved to be only a band of blaze 3 feet thick. Kupakupa Mine. This mine is situated on the western side of the Waikato Eiver, opposite Ealph's mine, but at an elevation of 130 feet above the level of the river, and about 100 feet higher than Ealph's coal, indicating an up-throw fault to the westward. The average thickness of the coal is 18 feet, and the mine, which is worked upon a true system of square work, is in very satisfactory order. A careful examination of the coal formation in the Waikato District, and the relations which it bears to the overlying strata, renders it not improbable that the coal seam extends continuously throughout the greater part of this basin between Mercer and Taupiri, and flanked to the eastward by the slate ranges which run from the Firth of Thames to Taupiri, and thence to Ngaruawahia. Tho truth of this can easily be proved by a bore-hole, three sites which might be chosen being pointed out by Mr. Denniston in his report—viz., Churchill, Pungapunga, or Mercer, but Churchill would, for several reasons, be the best of these localities. BULLEE COAL FIELD. A map of this district accompanies this report, showing all the known coaliferous areas between Westport and the Ngakawau Biver ; and Mr. Denniston's report, which, as before mentioned, appears in the Geological Eeports, gives 195 sections which have been observed throughout this coal field. The areas holding coal have been carefully laid down, and may be depended upon. No plans of the surveys for leases have been forwarded to the department, so that these do not appear on the map, and the following estimate of the quantity of the coal can only be given, in consequence, for the natural divisions which it would be most advisable to adopt in working the field, and which are indicated in the attached map.

Approximate Extent. Average Thickness. Workable Coal, in Tons. Lrea 1 _rea 2 _rea3 Lrea 4 _rea 5 Lrea 7 ligh Level A ... ligh Level B ... ligh Level C ... jo. Level C ligh Level D ... __d Level D jow Level D tlid Level E louthern edge of Waimangaroa Gorge .louut "William ... ?odea Creek ... ligh Level of do. tlount Bochfort _rwer "Waimangaroa 500 acres 860 „ 640 „ 1,500 „ 900 „ 100 „ 300 „ 75 „ 100 - 122 „ 300 „ 1,105 „ 455 „ 420 „ 90 „ 180 „ 225 „ 600 „ 770 „ 200 „ 1,200 „ 13 feet 7 „ 4 „ 17 „ 23 „ 15 „ 17 „ 17 „ 14 „ 12 „ 15 „ 15 „ 20 „ 14 „ 6 „ 15 „ 25 „ 12 „ 9 „ 4 „ 9 „ 4,875,000 4,515,000 1,920,000 19,125,000 15,550,000 1,687,500 3,825,000 956,000 1,050,000 1,098,000 3,375,000 12,431,250 6,825,000 4,410,000 450,000 2,025,000 4,218,750 5,400,000 5,197,500 600,000 6,000,000 Total 105,034,000