E. DoBSON. — State of Ai)jjUed Science in Canterburi/. 129 



o£ fossils. Tlie latter are o£ tlie same species as those found in similar beds 

 in the Province of Canterbury, namely, a Pectcn, a large smootb Terelratula 

 (Waldlieimid) , and some large corals allied to Pelagia, wbicb prove them to , 

 be of older tertiary age. These beds are overlaid by very fine limestones, 

 semi-crystalline, and identical with similar beds lying in the same horizon in 

 New Zealand. 



On the western side of the island the occurrence of lignite beds amongst 

 these strata show that during the formation of these marine deposits 

 oscillations of the ground took place, which favoured the growth of terres- 

 trial plants, burying them afterwards below new marine deposits. 



Amongst the specimens collected is a very fine-grained limestone, closely 

 resembling some coral-rag beds of Europe ; also a specimen of brown-iron 

 ore, and another of psilomelane. 



Thus clear evidence is offered us, that in an early part of the tertiary 

 period volcanic action took place in this part of the Pacific Ocean ; and 

 although we meet, on the main island, some signs of the existence of old 

 sedimentary rocks, there is no doubt that these volcanic eruptions gave birth 

 to this archipelago. 



Aet. XX. — On tlie present State of Applied Science in the Ganterhury 

 Province. By Edwaed Dobson, C.E., Provincial Engineer, and Vice- 

 President of the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury. 



\S,ead at the Annual 3Ieeting of the Fhilosophical Institute of Canterlury , Zth Novem- 



her, 1866.] 



OuE esteemed president, Dr. Haast, being more than usually occupied at 

 present in the prej)aration of maps and drawings for the Paris Exhibition, I 

 have been requested to address you in his place this evening, and I have 

 thought that it would be most in accordance with your wishes that the subject 

 of my address should be connected with the public works of Canterbury, 

 to Avhich so many years of my life have been devoted. I propose, therefore, 

 to occupy your time, for a short half -hour, with a brief review of the pro- 

 gress of applied science in the Canterbury Province ; and in doing so, my 

 object will not be so much to call for gratulation in respect of what has 

 been already successfully accomplished, as to point out how much yet 

 remains to be done, and to direct the attention of the members of the 

 Institute to subjects of inquiry in which they may engage with equal 

 interest to themselves and advantage to the colony in which we have fixed 

 our homes. 



Telegeaphic Communicatioi^. — Let me first call your attention to the 

 present state of telegraphic communication throughout New Zealand. 



