396 Transactions. — Geology. 



six miles. Thus in a distance of 350 miles the black oil-shales 

 are met with five times under almost identical circumstances. 

 These shales contain a large percentage of vegetable matter. 

 Numerous fish-scales have also been found, and peculiar tubes 

 like compressed pipe-stems are very common throughout the 

 beds. The Wainui Stream, between Wimbledon and Speedy's 

 homestead, shows several fine sections where the black, red, 

 and grey shales merge into each other, proving that the so- 

 called oil-shales are not an isolated deposit, but are a j)art of a 

 widely-distributed series of beds, which, though deposited at 

 the same time, were deposited under diJfferent conditions. 

 From Speedy's to the coast the rocks are either the green- 

 sands or the blue-clay marls, which are interbedded with 

 them. 



Up to the present time no minerals of commercial value 

 have been found in the district under notice. Some years ago, I 

 remember that a Mr. Wilie, w4io was postman and telegraphist 

 at Wainui, show^ed me some fine specimens of agate which he 

 had collected in various parts of the Akiteo river-bed. I have 

 no specimens of the stone he collected, but similar unpolished 

 specimens were lately sent to me by that hard-working mem- 

 ber Mr. Taylor White, who found them in the vicinity of the 

 same river. Quartzose boulders, but of an orange-yellow, with 

 agate bands, are found over the hills between Walliugford and 

 Porangahau — the last remnants of the greensands in these 

 places. I have not yet had an opportunity of visiting the 

 lower portion of the Akiteo Eiver, but, from information, it 

 appears there are some old rocks to be seen in that district. 

 An old Maori legend says that it was near Akiteo that the 

 Natives made their meres, or obtained stone for sharpening 

 purposes ; and Mr. Tone, a surveyor, who is a careful observer, 

 tells me there are rocks — black rocks — which he thinks must 

 be volcanic. When the bush about Wimbledon was being 

 surveyed previous to being throwm open for selection I visited 

 the place with the then Chief Surveyor, and in the bed of the 

 stream thin bauds of bright coal were seen interbedded with a 

 greyish-blue sandstone. I have not visited the place since — 

 now some eight years ago — but it would be well if the banks 

 of the stream near the Wimbledon sawmill were carefully 

 explored. The district is situated within a Cretaceo-tertiary 

 area, and it is among the rocks of this period that the best 

 coal deposits of New Zealand are obtained ; nor need one be 

 surprised to learn at any time that a coal deposit has been 

 met with. Certainly the rocks in the district are favourable 

 to such a discovery being made. 



