150 president's address — SECTION c. 



The coal seams are hydrous, semi-bituminous, non-caking coals, 

 which approach very closely to lignite in some parts : between the 

 various varieties the differences are only of degree, for there axe no 

 distinctive characters which would find universal application. Owing 

 to the conditions of deposition the coals naturally vary in character, 

 and in places pass insensibly, through forms containing a large pro- 

 portion of earthy matter, to Carboniferous shales. 



The question of the precise geological age of the Collie River beds 

 is one about which there has been, and still is, considerable divergence 

 of opinion. 



In the year 1891 Mr. H. P. Woodward, then Government Geologist, 

 assigned an early Mesozoic Age to the beds, basing his determinations 

 principally upon the physical aspect of the field and the chemical 

 composition of the coals. 



A little later some fossils were submitted to the late Mr. R. 

 Etheridge, sen., who detected Glossopteris or Noeggerathia, and con- 

 cluded that the beds were Permo-Carboniferous. 



In 1894 Mr. Woodward, basing his opinion upon the results of 

 Mr. Etheridge's determination, referred the beds to the Upper Car- 

 boniferous. 



In 1897 Mr. E. F. Pittman, Government Geologist, New South 

 Wales, visited Western Australia, and in a report referred the strata 

 to the Mesozoic — on the strength of Mr. Eclieridge's (jun.), doubtful 

 recognition of Sagenopteris. 



Upon a geological map accompanying a report by myself, pub- 

 lished in 1898, the age of the beds was defined as uncertain. 



In 1898 Sir Frederick McCoy reported the discovery of Gloss- 

 opteris Browniana in some fossils sent to him by the Premier of the 

 State, and stated that the beds were of " the exact geological age of 

 the great coalfields of Newcastle, New South Walee." I may add, 

 however, that these fossils were not collected by, nor have they been 

 seen by, any member of the geological staff of We?;tern Australia. 



Mr. R. Etheridge, jun., in his " Notes to Accompany a Miscel- 

 laneous Collection of Western Australian Fossils," submitted to him 

 by myself in 1903, recognised undoubted Glossopteris — in a good state 

 of preservation — from the Moira Collery, and constrained him to 

 support the age assigned to the Collie River beds by his father, viz., 

 Permo-Carboniferous. Mr. Etheridge carefully examined the Sagenop- 

 teris (?) obtained by Mr. Pittman, and in the same report abandons 

 his previous determination, and noAV looks upon it as Glossopteris. 



Ill 1904 Dr. Jack received a commission from His Excellency the 

 Governor to fully investigate all aspects of the Collie coal industry, 

 including, inter alia, geological conditions. Accompanying the Com- 

 missioner's report is an excellent geological map and longitudinal 

 section ; upon the former the age of the Collie River beds is set down 

 as underterniined. Dr. Jack, in his report, says : — " The evidence 

 bearing on the age of the coalfield is at best inconclusive. High 

 authorities have, indeed, expressed the opinion that it was of Palaeozoic 



