104 Transactions. 



In regard to this matter it can only be stated that the great majority 

 of geologists who have seen this junction regard it as a conformable one. 

 These include Hector, McKay, Skeats, Marshall, Speight, and Cotton. So 

 far as published statements are concerned, Park is the only observer who 

 has sujDported Hutton. This support, which is in total opposition to all 

 previous statements of this author, has been accorded within the last few 

 years only. The change of opinion is due to the recent discovery of Tertiary 

 fossils in the Weka Pass stone, which formation Park had for many years 

 placed in the Cretaceous System, and had separated by an unconformity 

 from the well-known Tertiary beds above. Recent examination of the two 

 limestones under the microscope has satisfied me as to their essential 

 identity. As the junction is approached closely the Amuri limestone loses 

 its most characteristic pure Globigerina nature and acquires a notable amount 

 of minute quartz grains, as well as some glauconite and particles of a 

 hydrous brown micaceous mineral. These are the characteristic minerals 

 of the glauconitic Weka Pass stone, which rests on it. This surely proves 

 that there is no stratigraphic break. 



Hutton claimed that palaeontological evidence supported his position; 

 but this statement must be accepted with caution, as the Anmri limestone 

 is almost wholly unfossiliferous, and those fossils which have been collected 

 in it, such as Pecten zitteli Hutton, are certainly Tertiary forms. In 

 addition, the Aniuri limestone, both at Waipara and at Amuri Blufi, rests 

 on other beds of considerable thickness which also contain no fossils. 



{d.) Park's Classification. 



Park's latest position appears to be identical with that of Hutton so 

 far as the relationship of the Cretaceous to the Tertiary beds of North 

 Canterbury is concerned. This position, however, has not yet been fully 

 stated, while there are long statements by this author showing — (1) The 

 conformable relations of the whole series ; (2) the conformity between the 

 Amuri limestone and the Weka Pass stone.* Until full reasons are given 

 for this change of front it must be assumed that there is no further infor- 

 mation beyond that given by Hutton. 



(e.) Morgan's Classification. 



Morgan's position is at present based upon coal-occurrences in Westland. 

 He states,"]" that there is in that district a stratigraphic break between the 

 so-called Eocene and the Miocene ; but the evidence of this is of a litho- 

 logical nature mainly. Insistence in particular is laid upon the occurrence 

 of pebbles of coal derived from the lower members of the series embedded 

 in the upper members. This, however, is not an uncommon occurrence in 

 coal-measures. Thus in Arber's book on " The Natural History of Coal," 

 p. 131, instances are quoted of the occurrence of pebbles of coal in the 

 sandstones of the coal-measures of the South Wales coalfield and that of 

 Bristol, as well as in the Midlands. Further instances are quoted from 

 the coalfields of France. Recently Prouty has recorded the occurrence of 

 large and small pebbles of coal in the detrital beds of the coalfields of 

 Alabama. J 



* J. Park, N.Z. Geol. Rep., 1883, p. 33 ; Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. 37, 1905, p. 542 ; 

 "Geology of New Zealand." 1910. p. 88; Geol. Mag., dec. v., vol. viii. 1911, p. 541. 

 t P. G. Morgan, Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. 46, 1914, p. 271. 

 t W. F. Prouty, Jour, of Geol., vol. 20, 1912, p. 769. 



