IBON OEE AND COAL DEPOSITS AT WALLEEAWANG. 91 



The whole of the district along the western ling, near to and 

 beyond Hartley, is one of exceeding interest to the geologist 

 from a purely scientific point of view, quite apart from the 

 importance and actual intrinsic value of the various mineral 

 deposits which it contains. 



It is a source of great gratification to all who take any 

 interest in these matters that, at last, the resources of this and 

 other portions of New South Wales stand a fiiir chance of being 

 thoroughly and properly examined, now that the first step towards 

 having a geological survey of the country has been taken by the 

 Grovernment, — a step which may be regarded as an earnest of 

 something to follow on a more comprehensive and extended basis ; 

 for of course it is utterly impossible for any one geologist, however 

 great his attainments, to make single-handed a finished survey of 

 a country like this. 



No one will deny that money spent upon such an object is 

 spent in one of the best possible ways, whether it be purely for 

 the extension of scientific knowledge or merely for the exploration 

 and development of the mineral wealth of the Colony. Perhaps 

 the truest wisdom is to keep both ends in view : the extension 

 of science would make but comparatively little progress without 

 the aid of wealth, and wealth, at the present day, cannot be 

 attained without calling in the aid of science — they are mutually 

 dependent, and on that account we cannot afi'ord to neglect cither 

 of them. 



The exploration and development of the mineral wealth of a 

 country should always be kept a long way in advance of the work 

 of realizing and converting such stores into money. 



When we consider the great repositories of iron ores which 

 have been already examined in New South Wales, and that we 

 hear of discoveries of others, perhaps equally extensive, there 

 appears to be no reason why New South Wales, with proper care 

 and management, should not very soon make not only all the 

 iron required for its own consumption, but also supply other 

 countries which are not so lavishly endowed. 



