H.—lB

5

Wailcntn Mining District. —All that area bounded towards the North by the middle of the Waikato River and the Maramarua River to where the main road from Pukororkoro to Mercer crosses the lastmentioned river, thence by that road to Pukorokoro, thence by the Frith of Thames ; towards the West by the Frith of Thames aforesaid and the Hauraki Gulf; towards the East, North, and again towards the East by the ocean to the 39th parallel of south latitude ; towards the South by the ."39th. parallel aforesaid to the Ngahuinga or Tuhua River ; again towards the West by a right line from thence to the source of the Mokau River; again towards the South by that river to the ocean; and again towards the West by the ocean to the Waikato River. Pelorus Mining District. —All that area in the Provincial District of Marlborough situated north of the Wairau River, including D'Urville and other adjacent islands. Kaikoura Mining District. —All that area in the Provincial District of Marlborough situated south of the Wairau River. West Wanqanui Mining District. —Comprises the Counties of Collingwood and Waimea, including the adjacent islands. Westport Mining District. —Comprises the Counties of Buller, Inangahua, Amuri, Cheviot, and Grey, excepting that portion of the Grey County situated south of a line drawn from Harper's Saddle to the outflow of Lake Brunner, and of the Rivers Arnold and Grey. Greymonth Mining District. —All that area bounded towards the North by the Grey River to the confluence of the Arnold River, thence by the Arnold River to Lake Brunner, and thence by a right line to the saddle at the source of the Hurunui and Teremakau Rivers ; towards the East by lines along the summit of the Southern Alps to the source of the Weheka River ; towards the South by the VVeheka River to the ocean; towards the West by the ocean to the Grey River. Jackson's Bay Mining District. —All that area bounded towards the North by the Weheka River to its source ; towards the East by lines along the summit of the Southern Alps to Mount Aspiring : towards the South by a right line to the mouth of the Awarua River in Big Bay ; and towards the West hj the ocean to the Weheka River. Malvern Mining District. —Comprises the Counties of Ashley, Selwyn, Akaroa, and Ashburton. Timaru Mining District. —Comprises the Counties of Geraldine, Waimate, and that portion of the Counties of Lake, Vincent, and Waitaki, situated to the north of a right line drawn from Mount Aspiring to the issue of the Ohau River from Ohau Lake. Otago Mining District- —All that area bounded towards the North by a right line from the mouth of the Awarua River in Big Bay to Mount Aspiring, thence by a right line to the issue of the Ohau River from Ohau Lake, thence by the middle of the Ohau River and Waitaki River to the ocean; towards the East and South by the ocean to the Mataura River; towards the West by the right bank of that river to its source at Eyre Peak, thence to Eyre Peak ; towards the South-east by a right line to the confluence of the Windley River with the Oreti River; again towards the South by a right line due west to the Manipori Lake ; again towards the East by that lake and by the left bank of the Waiau River to the ocean ; again towards the South and West by the ocean to the Awarua River, the starting point. Southland Mining District. —All that area bounded towards the North west by a right line from the confluence of the Windley River with the Oreti River to Eyre Peak, thence to the source of the Mataura River; towards the East by the right, bank of that river to the ocean ; towards the South by the ocean to the Waiau River; towards the West by the left bank of that river and by the Manipori Lake to a point due west of the confluence of the Windley River with the Oreti River aforesaid; and towards the North by a right line due east to the said confluence, the starting point: including Stewart, Ruapuke, and other adjacent islands. Given under *;he hand of His Excellency Sir Hercules George Robert Robinson, Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and Saint George, Governor and Commander-in-Chief in and over Her Majesty's Colony of New Zealand and its Dependencies, and Vice-Admiral of the same ; and issued under the Seal of the said Colony, at the Government House, at Wellington, this twentieth day of April, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighty. H. A. Atkinson. God save the Queen !

APPENDIX. No. 1. INTERIM EEPORT UPON INSPECTION OP COAL MINES, NORTH ISLAND. Mr. Inspector Cox and Mr. Inspector M'Laren to the Under Secretary for Mines. Sir,— Auckland, 12th December, 1879. We have the honor to inform you that we have visited the Waikato (Kupa-Kupa), Taupiri, and Bridgewater (Miranda) Collieries, and herewith forward our report on the same. Waikato (Kupa-Kupa) Mine. —This mine is being carefully worked, and attention has been paid to Mr. M'Laren's instructions with regard to timbering certain wide levels. The main levels and headings are now being carried in with smaller dimensions, but the bords which are opened out from these are wide, and rise up from 6 feet or 7 feet in the levels to 18 feet and 20 feet in height in the bords, which, should the coal give off gas, would be dangerous. As the furthest bords have reached the crop of the