H.—9a.

98

Coal.

Small seams aud other strong indications of existing coal-beds have been found at Jackson's Bay, Smoothwater, Stafford River, and Hominy Coves. The reports of Dr. Hector and Mr. Cox regarding the likelihood of discovering workable seams are very favourable, and, if realized, Jackson's Bay will more than rival Greymouth and AVestport, seeing the depth of water there would enable the largest vessels to call for a loading of coal. Sandstone, Freestone, and Limestone. Respecting these articles of export, I need not enlarge ; their existence and superior quality is no more a matter of speculation, but of well-authenticated fact. Proposals for Future Management. The settlement, amidst its many drawbacks, is established, and will never again be abandoned ; but, without some fostering care on the part of the Government, it may linger for many years before it will thrive and prove of marked value to the colony at largo; and 1 would therefore suggest that assistance be given in the following particulars : — 1. Build a jetty at Jackson's Bay. 2. Lay down moorings. 3. Grant a subsidy to a small steam-launch for, say, two years. Such a vessel is necessary to bring the timber-rafts from Okuru, AVaiatoto, and Arawata to the Bay, the place of shipping. 4. Complete the line of communication with Hokitika by construction of Paringa to Haast Track. 5. Repair the roads and tracks within the settlement, and provide for their maintenance for two or three years, seeing the people in the district cannot possibly do this. The maintenance will not exceed £400 per annum. 6. Gazette regulations respecting occupancy of land, double the areas of sections to be allotted to individual settlers, and cither reduce the price of land or extend the term of payment. General Remarks. Jackson's Bay Settlement has always been looked upon with suspicion by the bulk of the Westland people. Its great distance from Hokitika and Greymouth naturally suggested the thought that it would be of little or no benefit to these places; and I confess that, as regards getting their supplies, this will be the case. Jackson's Bay, in a few years hence, will deal with either Melbourne, Dunedin or any of the other large seaport towns. If, however, any of the old provincial districts are to be specially benefited by Jackson's Bay prosperity it will be Otago, owing to its easy access by way of the AVanaka country. Considering that, from reasons stated above, Jackson's Bay must sooner or later be the principal port on the W rest Coast of the Middle Island, the place of first call and departure of Australian steamers, and the focus from whence settlement on the AVest Coast will radiate, it appears to me that it has claims to special consideration at the hands of the Government. Strictly speaking, the discoveries of copper at Dusky Sound, Marble at Coswell Sound, &c, are all due to the establishment of the Jackson's Bay Settlement; and it cannot be doubted that the vast resources of mineral wealth on the West Coast, of which we have indications in almost every locality, will be the sooner developed, and a substantial revenue from this " out-of-the-way " portion of the Island insured to the Government by it continuing to foster a settlement so promising as that of Jackson's Bay. Apart from gold, mineral districts do, as a rule, take a long time to develop; but whenever they reach that point they prove exceedingly valuable to a Government. Gerhard Mueller, C.S.

Rainfall during Years 1875,1876,1877, and 1878, Hokitika, Westland, New Zealand. Year. Inches. Eainy Days. 1875 ... ... ... ... ... 13079 186 1876 ... ... ... ... ... 11632 189 1877 ... ... ... ... ... 13666 214 1878 ... ... ... ... ... 15444 259 Mean ... ... ... ... ... 13455 212 Mean Rainfall and Rainy Days during Years 1875, 1876,1877. Inches. Rainy days. Christchurch ... ... 2667 140 Dunedin... ... ... ... ... 39-45 147 Extracts from Reports forwarded by Surveyors during Progress of Surveys at Special Settlement, Jackson's Bay. Re Arawata Country, by J. S. Browning, dated May, 1875. " The principal portion of heavy timber lying within the above boundaries consists of a belt of from 800 to 1,000 acres, 2 feet to 3 feet diamater, along the east bank of the Arawata, and is nearly all red pine. There is also about 300 acres of useful timber about Macfarlane's mound, near the Goro-e a distance of four miles from the sea, and about 1,000 acres round the spurs of Mount McLean and the banks of the AVaiatoto Creek, in scattered patches of red and white pines The timber, although not of a large girth, grows, in very straight and clear trunks, to a very great height The land available for settlement at present consists of a block extending south-easterly along the bank of the Arawata to the Gorge a distance of four miles, containing about 1,500 acres; and from the Gorge a block lying between the base of the hills and the AVaiatoto Creek, about 3,000 acres in the whole area