Tunny.—Coals and Coal Fields of Auckland. 387 
due to a change in the climate, that during the cold period they crossed 
the deep sea to Australia or Polynesia, and that on the return of a warmer 
climate they all returned again to New Zealand without leaving any behind, 
which is incredible. Consequently, since the miocene period, there can 
have been no reduction of temperature sufficient to account for the former 
extension of our glaciers, and we must necessarily look to elevation of 
the land as the main cause. 
It is possible that the two may have been combined, but we have no 
proof of it, and it will require a more accurate knowledge of the geographi- 
cal distribution of our shells, both living and fossil, than we now possess 
before this part of the enquiry can be successfully taken up, but at present 
the evidence seems to be in favour of there never having been a glacial 
epoch in New Zealand, and consequently none in the Southern Hemisphere. 
Art. LVI1.—The Coals and Coal Fields in the Province of Auckland. 
y J. M. Tunny, Provincial Analyist. 
[Read before the Auckland Institute, 11th October, 1875.] 
In bringing this subject before the Institute, it is not so much with the idea 
of entering into the chemistry of the subject as to show the absurdity of 
importing every year, as we do, enormous quantities of coal at a very large 
cost to the Colony, when we already have in the Colony a superior article 
to that imported. 
With this object in view I will, in the first place, mention that, during 
the year 1878, there was imported into New Zealand no less than 108,203} 
tons of coal; valued at £187,833; and, in 1874, 128,719 tons, valued at 
£211,081. Now, it will be at once seen, what a vast benefit it would prove 
if this large sum of money could be retained in the colony. 
I will now show, that we have in the province of Auckland a very 
superior class of coals. For the sake of comparison, I will in the first 
place, give the analysis of the two coals principally used in Auckland— 
namely, the Bay of Island and the Newcastle coals :— 
Bay of Islands, Neweastle. » 
Volatile and organic matter ... 29°94 24-80 
Fixed carbon ... ... is 61-20 68°60 
Ash ee) we ee. Sue eke 1:60 3°60 
Galelon dees obsccin cc 8°26 2-60. 
Water dui ek Sa eee ed 4-00 “40 
100-00 100-00 
