72 E. 0. Teate: 



Professor E. W. Skeats, made a flying visit to this region, spend- 

 ing only about four days there. Mr. Dunn's attentions were speci- 

 ally directed to the examination of the Serpentine, with the asso- 

 icated occurrence of the Corundum and Chromite, but the observa- 

 tions of l>oth these geologists on the relations of the limestone to 

 the surrounding rocks, though hurried, led them also to receive 

 with some surprise the possibility of their being regarded aa 

 Cambrian. 



A few years previously, in 1902, Professor Gregory, from a 

 study of several Lower Palaeozoic areas in Victoria, but particu- 

 larly in the vicinity of Heathcote, claimed that a Pre-Ordovician 

 series of probable Cambrian age existed; and to which he gave the 

 name Heathcotian. Professor Gregory's conclusion was not, 

 however, accepted with full confidence by all the Victorian 

 geologists, and later. Professor Skeats (18) examined carefully the 

 Heathcote rocks, and in 1908 published a very comprehensive re- 

 view ol the situation, concluding that the evidence in favour of a 

 Pre-Ordovician series at Heathcote was not conclusive. He there- 

 fore for the time being favoured the inclusion of the doubtful 

 rocks in the basal Ordovician. 



The Cambrian problem in the Wellington district was therefore 

 of more than local interest since the existing knowledge concerning 

 the occurrence of Cambrian generally in Victoria was in an unsatis- 

 factory state. It was clearly the chief among many interesting and 

 important questions awaiting solution in this region. 

 • At this stage in May, 1908, the writer's departure to undertake- 

 geological exploration in Africa under the direction of the Im- 

 perial Institute, postponed indefinitely these interesting researches. 



A paper was therefore written, embodying the conclusions 

 arrived at, and stating also the 'more' important unsolved problems 

 (13). 



Early in 1915, while in Melbourne, on a short holiday from 

 Africa, the effect of the war led to the suspension of the African 

 Exploration, and it was suggested by Professor Skeats and Dr. 

 Summers that I should resume in the meantime the Wellington 

 •researches. The University offered encouragement and assistance 

 in the form of a Government Research Scholarship, and the oppor- 

 tunity, therefore, to renew the work was gladly availed of. 



The foremost aim of the expedition was to endeavour by careful 

 survey to m,ap and work out the relations of the various limestone 

 outcrops to one another, and to the surrounding rocks. It was 

 soon found, however, that the work grcAv in scope, for the mapping' 



1 



