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AVANGAREI. Dr. Pollen to tho Hon. the Colonial Secretary. Sir, — General Government Offices, Auckland, 7th April, 1873. I have the honor to transmit herewith a letter from settlers and landowners at AVhareora, in the AVangarei district, requesting that a sum of £250 may be granted for the expense of exploration of a coal seam discovered on tho property of Mr. Frater at that place. On receipt of this letter I requested the applicants to procure and send to me a sample of the coal; and on the sth instant I received, with the memorandum aunexed, a box, which I have forwarded by this opportunity to your address. I have, &c, Daniel Pollen, The Hon, the Colonial Secretary, Wellington. Agent General Government. Mr. Robert Frater to Dr. Pollen. Sir, — Wharoora, Ist February, 1873. AYe have tho honor to inform you that a seam of coal was discovered in this district, in a gully on the property of Mr. Frater, by a Native, while spearing for gum. The coal, where found, is three miles from nearest water carriage for vessels drawing 6 feet, with no engineering difficulties to contend with in the construction of a tramway, or by another route six miles in length to Grahamstown, where vessels of any size can lie within twenty feet of tho beach. Several tons of coal have been taken out at this point by the Messrs. Frater and other parties for their own use. They state the coal answers admirably for household purposes, giving a strong heat and lasting well. Enclosed you have a report from tho engineer of the " Halcyon " steamer as to its power for generating steam. AYe may also mention that Mr. Ray, blacksmith, AVangarei, reports favourably of the coal for blacksmithing purposes. It is a hard bright coal, and can bo broken out in lumps of any size. It has also been tried in a primitive w ray, and found to coke. The scam was at least 4 feet thick at this place, but owing to the water—the workings being in a gully —further operations were impossible, except at considerable outlay, which the owners of the land were not in a position to incur. Tho immediate owners of the adjoining land are absentees, and the Provincial Government also hold a considerable acreage adjoining. I would therefore observe, that although tho undersigned landowners are most anxious to have the coal opened out, both for their own interest .and that of the country, still they do not consider themselves to be in a position to carry out successfully the undertaking. We would therefore petition that you would be pleased to grant a sum of not less than £250 towards the thorough prospecting of this field at points radiating from where it has been found. Mr. Finlayson Smith, Chairman, and Mr. Robert Frater, Treasurer, of tho Whareora Board of Highway Trustees, together with any other party you may name, will see to the judicious expenditure, and will render accounts and reports when required. We have, &c, Daniel Pollen, Esq., Robert Frater, and 81 others. General Government Agent, Auckland. Memorandum by Dr. Hector for the Under Secretary. The seam referred to in this petition is in all probability a continuation to tho northward of the seam that was worked by Mr. AValtou some years ago, and a railway and other expensive works were then constructed, and afterwards abandoned, as the venture was not a commercial success, on account of tho inferiority of the coal when worked in bulk. Subsequently Mr. Bedlington, who was manager to the AValton Mine, and who is an experienced mining engineer, made some further explorations by boring, and according to Capain Hutton's report, April, 1872, was down 209 feet, and expected to reach the coal at 250 feet. No further reports have been received of the result of this trial; and I recommend, as the first step to be taken, that Mr. Bedlington be employed to make a report on the district generally, and on the particular merits of this fresh discovery, and also to state what further works are necessary to prove tho coal sufficiently to promote its being mined. The probable cost of such a report would be £50. Papers No. 73 —1299, on this subject, are herewith returned. James Hector. Geological Survey Office, Wellington, 24th May, 1873. Mr. W. Skey to Dr. Hector. Results of Analysis of Specimen No. 1,352, forwarded by Dr. Pollen from Whareora, in the AVangarei District. Glance Coal. A free burning coal, of irregular appearance, but generally very compact, and therefore not liable to crumble in transit, Its colour is black brown on its cleavage planes, and generally black on cross fracture. On these fractures it exhibits considerable lustre. Its structure is laminated, fracture uneven. The coal is slightly pyritous. Heated in close vessels it frits slightly, but does not puff up and the coke possesses but little coherence. From the subjoined results of its .analysis, it wrill be seen to compare with the best coals yet contributed from Walton's Coal Mine at AVangarei; it is therefore a very good average coal, and if occurring in quantity in easily accessible positions, it cannot fail to be of considerable value.