146 Transactions.—Miscellaneous. 
found on the northern slope of the Puketapu; its colour is generally a 
light blueish grey, like Portland cement, but occasionally merging into 
yellow. The new road bridge at Palmerston is being built of this stone. 
Although found in large blocks, the deposit is supposed to be limited. 
There is a hard yellow sandstone associated with the limestone at the 
Twelve-Mile Creek, Lake Wakatipu. The rock is very much shattered, con- 
sequently the stone is not procurable in large blocks; but it can be got of a 
sufficient size for housebuilding. This material has been used to a small 
extent in Queenstown. 
Waikara, as might be expected from the geological character of the dis- 
trict, produces a compact hard sandstone, suitable for building. The only 
sample in the Museum is rather dark for architectural purposes ; but I have 
no doubt there is an abundant supply of all kinds between the Clutha and 
Mataura. In 1865, Dr. Hector said of this stone: “It has a disagreeable 
colour ; but its texture and stability is superior to any of the sandstones in 
the Province which have, as yet, been examined, although others have been 
seen that will probably prove of quite as good quality.”” The Waikara 
sandstone contains 80 per cent. of silica, which is a near approximation to 
the Tasmanian stone in its essential constituents. Mount Hamilton, in 
Southland, produces an excellent sandstone of much the same character as 
that at Waikara, but firmer in the grain, and of a bluish colour. Altogether 
this is a first-class building material ; but I have no information as to the 
extent of the deposit, or the facilities presented for working the stone. 
The district between Palmerston and Moeraki contains an immense 
assortment of sandstones, many of them, like a portion of the cliffs in 
Trotter’s Gorge are too soft and friable for building stones ; but there are a 
number of isolated blocks and veins that yield good materials. <A fine 
yellow stone, of much the same texture as the one from Waikara, has re- 
cently been worked near Puketuitai, and there is a smooth-grained dark 
red ferruginous sample from the Upper Horse Range, in the Museum. Both 
of these would make excellent building stones. The former, having a 
beautiful colour, should be particularly sought after when the means of 
transit are provided. These are only quoted as examples of what the district 
can produce ; there are at least five places on the railway line between 
Pleasant Valley and Trotter’s Creek, where good sandstones can be obtained. 
Proceeding further up the Waihemo Valley, we find the accommodation 
house at Coal Creek built of a coarse-grained yellow sandstone, found in the 
neighbourhood. It is also said that a large deposit of fine white stone 
exists in the same locality. 
A hard brown sandstone has recently been discovered and worked on the 
‘north side of the Otepopo Hill. It is being used in lining the tunnel now 
