108 
The N.Z. Journal of Science and Technology. 
[Mar. 
DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS. 
Notes on the Geology of the Murchison District. 
By J. Henderson, D.Sc., Mining Geologist, Geological Survey Department. 
Introduction. 
In 1860 Dr. Haast (afterwards Sir Julius von Haast) passed through the 
Murchison district on his way to the West Coast. His route was along 
the Buller River to the Maruia Junction and thence southward along the 
valley of the latter stream. In 1883 Cox visited the district and compiled 
a geological map ; in 1888 Park examined an area lying a little to the north¬ 
eastward ; and in 1895 McKay reported on the origin of the alluvial gold 
that was found in payable amount in some of the stream-beds of the 
neighbourhood. The views of these writers will be found in the following 
publications :— 
1861. Sir J. von Haast, Report of a Topographical and Geological 
Exploration of the Western Districts of the Nelson Province, 
New Zealand, pp. 10-20, 95-99, and 122. 
1884. S. Herbert Cox, On the District between the Maruia and 
Buller Rivers, Rep. Geol. Explor. during 1883-84, No. 16, 
pp. 1-10. 
1888. James Park, On the Geology of the Owen and Wangapeka Gold¬ 
fields, Rep. Geol. Explor. during 1887-88, No. 19, pp. 74-88. 
1895. Alexander McKay, Geology of the South-west Part of Nelson 
and the Northern Part of the Westland District, Mines 
Reports, 1895, C.-13, p. 26. (Republished in C.-9, 1896, and 
in pamphlet form in 1897.) 
The rising township of Murchison, formerly known as Hampden, is 
situated at the confluence of the Buller and Matakitaki Rivers, on the 
southern bank of the former and the eastern bank of the latter stream. 
Within a few miles on either side of this point the Buller receives in addi¬ 
tion the waters of three large tributaries, the Mangles, Matiri, and Maruia 
Rivers. An irregular area of low-lying country, known as the Four-river 
Plain, has been formed by these streams. On all sides rise steep hills which, 
except towards the south, are backed by rugged peaks well over 4,000 ft. 
in height. The upland country, which is exceedingly broken, is divided 
by the streams into meridionally disposed ridges, all of which are inter¬ 
sected by the Buller. 
General Geology. 
The oldest rocks in the neighbourhood are the greywackes and argillites 
that form the upper slopes of the hills westward of Eight-mile Creek, a 
stream entering the Buller from the north near the upper end of he Lyell 
Gorge. They belong to the Aorere series of Bulletins Nos. 11, 17, and 18, 
and are in direct connection with the area of these rocks that contains the 
auriferous-quartz veins of the Lyell district. No outcrop of these rocks 
was observed at the foot of the hills, but the Reefton-Nelson road is cut 
