﻿Wellington Pliilosopliical Society. 373 



The results of tliis inquiiy sliow that, of all coals tried, the best is that 

 from the Grey River, if the value of the coke, ease of woi-king, and other 

 circumstances are taken into account ; but if mere gas-producing is the test, 

 the Collingwood coal is superior. Both are, however, far in advance of the 

 Sydney coal. The author stated as an unusual and interesting fact that the 

 *' slack " of the Grey coal gives more gas, and of better quality, than the 

 screened coal. 



Dr. Hector thought that if the scheme of communication between the 

 coal mine and the port, which Mr. Blackett and he had recommended, were 

 adopted, the coal might be put on board at 8s. per ton. The quantity ascer- 

 tained to exist is at least 4,000,000 tons, but there is reason to believe that 

 a much greater extent of the seams will prove to be available when the 

 industry is fairly started. He said Mr. George's results agreed veiy closely 

 with those obtained by small experiments in the laboratory, and he had no 

 hesitation in confirming the high opinion of the value of the coal that had 

 been expressed by the author of the paper. 



The Hon. Mr. Waterhouse drew attention to the waste of coal that was 

 taking place in raiious parts of the colony through wilful firing of the seams, 

 and suggested that it might be advisable to have legislation on the subject. 



Dr. Hector informed the meeting that a coal seam, six miles north of the 

 Grey River, was set fire to by some diggers more than a year ago, and is stUl 

 burning. 



3. " jSTotes in Support of the Alleged Alkalinity of Carbonate of Lime," 

 by W. Skey, Analyst to the Geological Survey of New Zealand. (See 

 Trmisactions, p. 323). 



4. Dr. Hector described the position of the portion of a wreck of a vessel 

 that was found many years since on the West Coast, near Arnott Point. 

 Portions of the wreck, which had been sent by Mr. Mueller, Chief Surveyor, 

 together with a plan and description of the locality, were on the table. The 

 fragment is 20 feet long, 12 feet broad, and consists of three layers of plank- 

 ing bound together with brass bolts and screw trenells of wood. It lies 300 

 yards in a direct line from high-water mark, and nearly three-quarters of a 

 mUe up from the moiith of a small creek. 



Dr. Hector said that it could not be very old, and that it showed how 

 rapidly the coast drift formed in, some situations, as this wreck must have 

 been cast up when the beach line was less advanced by 300 yards. The 

 difference of level has not yet been accurately ascertained, but must be very 

 slight. 



The Hon. Mr. Waterhouse suggested that it might have been thrown up 

 by an earthquake wave. 



Dr. Hector doubted this, owing to the shape of the coast. 



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