Ixxxviii President's Address 



suggestion has been acted upon, and the Analytical branch 

 of the Geological Survey is now conducted in rooms in the 

 " National Museum Offices/' where a chemical and metallur- 

 gical laboratory has been fitted up with nearly every 

 requisite for conducting mineral analysis or research, as well 

 as to afford to miners, prospectors, and others, a ready and 

 reliable means of ascertaining the value of any mineral 

 discovery which they may make. Without such information 

 much of value has been hitherto lost or neglected, while in 

 other cases loss and disappointment have been occasioned by 

 a mistaken idea of the value of such discoveries. 



For the public to take advantage of this arrangement, it 

 is necessary that a sufficient specimen or sample, together 

 with a full description of its mode of occurrence, localities, 

 &c, should be sent to the "Director of the Geological 

 Survey" either through the Minister of Mines or any other 

 channel, and if he thinks that it is a proper subject for 

 examination, the analysis is made, and a report is forwarded 

 to the sender, containing the results, with any notes or 

 suggestions which appear of practical use. 



An analytical chemist was appointed in April last year, 

 who has since been constantly at work. 



A great variety of interesting substances have been 

 analysed during the year, as, for instance, the lignite from a 

 remarkable deposit at Lai Lai. As a fuel, it was found both 

 practically and theoretically to be a little better than wood ; 

 in fact, some of it resembled wood very closely, not only in 

 retaining the external form, but in its chemical composition. 

 On being submitted to dry distillation at various tempera- 

 tures, it yielded numerous products — solid, liquid, and 

 gaseous, acid, alkaline, and neutral, and if this subject were 

 worked out in detail, it is highly probable that compounds 

 of commercial value might be obtained. 



The coal from Cape Paterson has also lately been the sub- 



