D.—No. 14,

ANNUAL REPORT ON THE

14

A practical search for coal seams has been lately made in the Province of Southland, by direction of the Provincial Government, and the specimens having been submitted to this Department for an opinion respecting the indications they afford, the following information was furnished in reply : — " The specimens of coal obtained by Mr. Thompson, so far as I am able to judge from the Report and samples sent, belong to the following formations, the general distribution of which I have previously described : — " 1. The specimens from Otipiri Creek belong to the secondary coal formation of New Zealand, as proved by the specimens of fossil fern (Pecopteris Australis), obtained from the rock forming the floor of the coal seam. The specimens from the so-called three feet six inch seam are not Brown Coal but carbonaceous shale, the larger proportion of which consists of clay, and it is probable that there are only a few inches of really good coal in the thickness indicated. I hardly think that the indications obtained at Otipiri Creek warrant any further expenditure in boring or sinking, as the sections of the same formation at the Mataura River and Waikawa have only exposed similar thin and irregular seams as that found by Mr. Thompson. At the same time, the settlers resident in the district might observe carefully for any further indications, bearing in mind that in the same formation on the West Coast there are valuable coal seams, associated with coarse-grained grits and sandy clays. The best seam of coal yet found in this formation in the south-east district is at Waikawa ; but even in this accessible position it is too thin and irregular to repay for working. I append the composition of this coal for comparison with the Brown Coals, its superiority over which as a useful fuel is not very evident from the analysis. " 2. The remainder of the samples of coal obtained by Mr. Thompson are from the tertiary brown coal formation, the coal being of the same superior description as the samples which have been so frequently reported on from Mosley Creek. The composition of the recently obtained specimen is now sent, from which it will be observed that it maintains the same composition over a large area of the Province, with a thickness of seam varying from thirty feet at the Hokanui Mountains to seventeen feet at Clifton, and eighteen feet six inches at Reneker's Station, as determined by Mr. Thompson. " All that remains to be done is to find the most convenient and accessible locality for opening a mine in this coal, and if worked cheaply, a demand for it is certain. "It has the same composition as the coal at Preservation Inlet, which of late has been exciting some interest, and is of superior quality to that now extensively mined at Green Island, near Dunedin, and in the Waikato River, near Auckland. " There is no information contained in Mr. Thompson's report that enables me to add to the geological sketch map previously forwarded. " The only suggestions that I can venture to give for Mr. Thompson's future guidance, is for him to endeavour to trace the coal by following the direction of the seams from which they are exposed, to localities where mines can bo advantageously opened. "During the past summer I have had the district between the Clutha and Mataura Rivers examined, and a Report on it is being prepared; and next season lam anxious to continue tho examination westward to Windsor Point, which will embrace all the coal-bearing districts in the Province of Southland. "In reply to your inquiry in your letter of the Bth of Juno, you will observe from the analysis that the last-sent sample of coal does not differ from tho others in any perceptible degree, excepting that it contains a larger amount of resinous matter. The result of Mr. Conyer's experiments on the application of this coal to locomotive engines is, I think, very satisfactory, as the rapidity with which the coal burns seems to compensate for its feebler evaporating power. The diminished evaporating power is wholly to be attributed to the large percentage of water which the coal contains ; and if this could be drawn off by preliminary baking (not coking) I have no doubt that a steam coal, equal in every respect to the Newcastle coal except as regards comparative bulk, would be obtained." The following is the Report referred to, showing the results of practical experiments with the Southland coal on the Bluff and Invercargill Railway, made by Mr. Conyer : — " I first ascertained the evaporating power of the Newcastle (Lambton) coal, as a standard of reference. The engine used during the experiments is of the ordinary type, having no special arrangement for burning coal. The fire-grate area 646 square feet; the heating surface in fire-box is 40 square feet; heating surface in tubes 367 square feet, giving a total heating surface of 407 square feet. " Prom the annexed table it will be seen the Southland coal used in the experiments is far inferior to the Newcastle coal in economic value. It burns very freely, with little flame, produces an abundant quantity of steam, causes very little smoke, and throws off a peculiar vegetable smell. The economic value of tho coal can be improved by altering our firegrate, the bars at present being arranged for a highly bituminous coal. " W. Conyee, " Permanent Way and Locomotive Manager."

Newcastle Coal. Thompson's Coal. Captain Howell's Coal. Mean temperature of water during experiment Economic value, or lbs. of water evaporated by one pound of coal Rate of combustion, or lbs. of coal burned per hour per square foot of fire-grate. Rate of evaporation per square foot of fire grate per hour, in cubic feet of water ... 57° 47° 50° 8-38 3-87 4-67 3901 87-26 101-23 5-24 5-42 7-59