STRUCTURAL FEATURES OF N-Z. 213 



are much jointed, faulted and fractured, and with an occasional 

 approach to schistosity. Two detached areas are dealt with, both 

 folded into anticlinoria, the inland one with a general E.N.E. to 

 W.S.W. trend, and the coastal one with a W.N.W. to E.S.E. trend, 

 the two directions meeting at an angle ; but the authors express 

 an opinion that if the superincumbent more recent rocks were 

 removed the two directions would be found to merge into one 

 another. 



The trend of the Auckland Peninsula does not correspond with 

 either of the axes of these anticlinoria, but the whole structure and 

 arrangement of the series is somewhat obscure. The overlying 

 beds (Kaeo series) of late Mesozoic age consist of sedimentaries 

 which have not been acutely folded, but have been subjected to 

 a considerable amount of faulting and displacement. Owing to 

 the marked variation of the strike the direction of the folding is 

 uncertain, but certain beds exhibit a persistent N.S. direction in 

 the northern part of the area, while in the southern part others 

 exhibit a E.N.E. to W.S.W. direction, corresponding with that 

 of the Waipapa series. These two great sedimentary series are 

 overlaid by volcanic rocks, chiefly andesites and dolerites ; in- 

 trusive gabbros of uncertain age also occur. 



The presence of granite boulders in a conglomerate at the 

 base of the Kseo series, taken in conjunction with the occurrence of 

 similar rocks in conglomerates in other parts of the North Island — 

 for example, near Kawhia (Park), near Cape PalUser (Sollas and 

 McKay), and the more recent discovery of normal and gneissic 

 diorites in the same locality (Adams) — is interesting as indicating 

 the close proximity of a continental area in Mesozoic times. Where 

 this land lay is uncertain ; but the present writer has urged in a 

 recent paper on the petrology of the Kermadec Islands that a 

 land mass probably existed in Mesozoic times to the north of New 

 Zealand, with connections to the north with a former Pacific 

 continent and south to New Zealand itself. 



In the northern peninsula extensive faulting has taken place 

 since Miocene times ; the major faults recorded have an E.N.E. 

 to W.S.W. direction — one with a throw of five hundred and an- 

 other with a throw of three hundred feet. These and others have 

 caused considerable fracturing of the former tableland or elevated 

 peneplain, which has resulted in the formation of block mountains 

 of no great height. 



Dr. Bell has also published {Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. xlii, 1910} 

 some account of the geology of the extreme north of the island. 

 This is largely a restatement of McKay's views as recorded in the 

 Geological Report for the year 1892-3 (published 1894) ; but there 

 is a specially interesting announcement of the presence in the 

 extreme north, near Cape Maria van Dieman, of basic rocks — harz- 

 burgites, Iherzolites and serpentines, which are related petro- 

 logically to the Milford Sound peridotites. This find is specially 

 interesting, taken in conjunction with the occurrence of abroken band 

 of similar rocks extending up the western side of the Southern Alps 



