368 Transactions. — Geology. 



In Westland no seams of brown coal have been worked, but a few 

 samples have been forwarded from the Grey Coal Eeserve, which have the 

 following average composition : — 



Fixed carbon . . . . . . . . 46*93 



Hydro-carbon .. .. .. 31-13 



Water 18-42 



Ash 3-52 



100-00 

 In Southland, mines have lately been opened in two seams of coal at 

 the Nightcap Hill above Wairio, in which the composition of the coal is as 

 follows : — 



Fixed carbon 47-81 



Hydro-carbon 21-04 



Water 29-24 



Ash 1-91 



10000 

 and another thick seam is known at Orepuki, which will probably be 

 worked as soon as railway communication has been established. It con- 

 sists of — 



Fixed carbon . . . . . . . . 41-21 



Hydro-carbon 39-09 



Water 11-14 



Ash 8-56 



100-00 

 In Canterbury, a valuable series of brown coals exists in the Malvern 

 Hills, which have often been locally altered, in the vicinity of intrusive 

 rocks of later origin, to various stages between brown coals and anthracites. 

 Mines are at present being worked in the unaltered brown coals at Spring- 

 field, Smithfield, Canterbury, Homebush, and Lees, in seams from 3 feet to 

 7 feet 6 inches thick, in which the quality of the coal often varies a great 

 deal even between the top and bottom of the same seam. As an instance 

 of this I may quote the analyses of the top and bottom of the 4£ feet seam 

 at Springfield, from which it will be seen that the upper part was a glance 

 coal, while the lower had the composition of a very good pitch coal. 



Top of Seam. Bottom of Seam. 



Fixed carbon 63-2 47'9 



Hydro-carbon 23-6 41-8 



Water 3-2 63 



Ash 10-0 4-0 



100-0 100-0 



