446 Transactions. — Geology. 



Here the marls are largely developed, and unconformability 

 clearly exists between the marls and overlying beds. None of 

 the lower limestones are seen at this point. On the Ahuriri 

 or Port side of the island the marls are exposed in one or two 

 places only, one being near the junction of the Battery and 

 Lighthouse Eoads, where the anticline appears to which reference 

 has already been made. In several places on the N.E. side of 

 the island, between Curling's Gully and Breakwater Point, the 

 marls are exposed. Near Sturm's Gully they are interbedded 

 with the pale blue sandy clays, similar to the rocks on the 

 western side of the Napier harbour. From their position in the 

 cliffs, I have been unable to obtain good sections at this point, 

 but I hope to do so shortly, Mr. Goodall, C.E., the harbour 

 board's engineer, having promised to render me some assistance 

 in this matter. 



Summarizing the foregoing, it appears to me that the lower 

 Napier limestones, if denuded of the marls, upper limestones, 

 and overlying beds, would resemble a wedge in appearance, 

 having the thicker beds facing S.E. and slanting off in a N.W. 

 direction. Upon the irregular surface of this imaginary inchned 

 plane come the marls, of varying thickness, being somewhat 

 sandy above, earthy below, and having their chief development 

 along the east and west sides of the island. The upper Napier 

 limestones have their chief exposures on the east and west. 

 They dip to the south-west, and near Mr. Glendiuning's these 

 limestones must be at least 100 feet thick. On the denuded 

 surfaces of the three series come the pumiceous clays, with 

 grits, pumice sands, brick earth, and black soils, which are to 

 be found more or less over the island, and which, I am inclined 

 to think, will be found the Napier equivalents of the Pedcliffe 

 and Kidnapper pumice and conglomerate beds. 



2nd. As to the relation of the Napier limestones with those 

 of the surrounding district : 



With a single exception, the Napier lower limestones are not 

 represented, as far as I can find, among the rocks to the west 

 and north-west of Napier within a radius of fifteen miles. This 

 exception is to be found ni the hills on the west side of the 

 inner harbour and laj^'oon, having Pukekuri, the hill at the back 

 of Groenmeadows Station, near Taradale, on the southern 

 boundary, and the island known as Quarantine Island as 

 the northern. Considered in connection with the limestones 

 covering the hills between Napier and Tiwhinui Hill, a few 

 miles to the south of Lower Mohaka, these limestones form an 

 important link. Pukekuri is a hill 472 feet high, and conse- 

 quently 140 feet higher than the highest point on the Napier 

 hills. It is mostly composed of marls similar to those exposed 

 on the saddle at the back of Taradale, on the road to Puketapu. 

 Its summit, however, is covered with limestone similar to the 



