GEOLOGY OF DOMINION

Taranaki Daily News, 16 January 1934, Page 8

GEOLOGY OF DOMINION

INVESTIGATORS PRAISED. WEALTH OF MATERIAL. Christchurch, Jan. 13. After extensive field work during a short visit to the South Island, Dr. G. D. Osborne, of the Department of Geology at Sydney University, stated last night in an interview that he had nothing but praise for the splendid work of New Zealand geologists, academic and governmental, often carried out under great difficulties caused by climatic and natural handicaps. He added that New Zealand was a marvellously interesting country geologically, with a wealth of valuable material in almost any area not covered by recent travel, and he forecast that in the future New Zealand investigations would provide material for notable contributions to geological literature. Dr. Osborne will take back to Australia a very large collection of specimens for the geology musetun at the Sydney University. He stated that he had been greatly assisted by discussions with geological experts in New Zealand during his visit. He made special mention of Professor Speight’s work in many branches of geology, particularly his pioneering work on the glacial geology at the Rakaia Valley area, which had been followed with much interest, and which Dr. Osborne described as “wonderful.” Dr. Osborne, accompanied by Mrs. Osborne, left last night for Wellington, after spending some days in the Rakaia Valley district and several days in Westland. His visit was primarily to. examine glacial geology in the Rakaia-Lake Coleridge area where Dr. C. C. Caldenius has been conducting extensive investigations on the glacial silts or “varved” rocks associated with the retreat of the last ice age. Dr. Osborne has been interested in the carboniferous glaciation so well exhibited in the Hunter River district of New South Wales, and he was anxious to visit ths Rakaia Valley sections under the guidance of Dr. Caldenius, who, Dr. Osborne stated, has done valuable and interesting work since his arrival in New Zealand.