C.—9

8

said to occur with auriferous conglomerates of so-called Devonian age. Auriferous veins of small value were examined on the Pariwhakaoho. Alluvial Gold. —Gold-bearing gravels of various ages (early Tertiary to Recent) have been worked for many years in the Parapara subdivision. By far the richest leads occurred mainly on the tributaries of the Aorere River, entering on the south-east side, especially on the Slate River. These have long ago been worked out, and now a much smaller return than that obtained in former years is derived mainly by hydraulic sluicing. Coal-seams. —The coal-seams of the subdivision, which occur near the mouth of the Takaka at Rangihaieta Head, and Motupipi on the eastern side of the subdivision, and in the valley of the Paturau and Slate Rivers on the western side, are apparently not of great extent, but have not yet been fully investigated. Building-stone, <kc. —The subdivision contains much granite of high quality and of great beauty, though it is generally situated at places difficult to obtain with the present means of transport. Serpentine rocks of value as ornamental building-stones outcrop at several places in the district. Marble (complex carbonate) of exquisite colours, varying from pure white to pink-grey and almost black, occurs at a number of points in the subdivision. Clays which are said to be capable of use in the manufacture of fine pottery appear at Motupipi, while more ordinary clays suitable for rough pottery and for brickmaking are widely scattered throughout the subdivision. Impure talcs and sandstones, which may be put to commercial uses, occur on the Waikoromumu and on the Parapara River. It will be seen from this brief resume that the economic mineral resources of the area represent a great variety. Each phase of the mineral wealth will be elaborated in full detail in the forthcoming bulletin on the Parapara subdivision.

REPORTS OF SENIOR FIELD OFFICERS AND DRAUGHTSMAN. Mr, P. G. Morgan, General Geologist. Mr. Percy G. Morgan, General Geologist, has been engaged almost continuously throughout the year at work at Westland, being absent therefrom for only a few months during the middle of winter, when he was occupied in the Head Office at preliminary work in connection with his maps. It is hoped that a bulletin will soon be issued giving the results of the work in the Mikonui subdivision of North Westland, in which he has been engaged. Meanwhile Mr. Morgan gives the following brief summary of results for the year 1906: — Introduction. During the greater part of 1906 I was engaged in working out the general and economic geology of the Mikonui subdivision, North Westland. In addition, some field-work was undertaken in connection with the Hokitika sheet, on which Bulletin No. 1 has already been published, and for about two months I was occupied in office-work at headquarters. During September and October I was employed almost entirely in supervising the collection of mineral and rock specimens from North Westland for the Geological Survey Exhibit at the New Zealand International Exhibition. Assistance. Until the end of February I was assisted in the field-work, by Mr. A. M. Finlayson, M.Sc, of Otago University, and towards the close of November I was joined by Mr. J. Ritchie, M.A., of the same college. Location of Work. Work was begun on the Mikonui sheet in November, 1905, and it will be convenient to include in this report some mention of our labours from that date to the end of 1905. My first camp was pitched in the lower Totara Valley, about three miles from Ross. From this point we investigated the geology of the Totara. River basin, Donnelly Creek basin, Mount Greenland, Ross Flat, &o. On the 2nd December I met with an accident, which necessitated hospital treatment for some time, but field-work was carried on by Mr. Finlayson, assisted by Mr. H. Hamilton, a student of the Otago School of Mines. Towards the end of the year camp was shifted to the Upper Mikonui Valley, sixteen miles from Ross by the track, but little more than half that distance .is tlie crow flies. From this base the geology of the greater part of the Mikonui Basin was determined, but some further work will be done in this district before the publication of a final report. At the end of January, 1906, we shifted camp to near the junction of the Toaroha and Kokatahi Rivers, about fourteen miles south-east of Hokitika. From this station we explored, by means of temporary camps, the valleys of these streams and their tributaries, traversing in our operations some very rough and difficult country. We surveyed also that part of the Browning or Styx River which flows through the Toaroha Survey District. In the month of May the main camp was moved to the first gorge of the Hokitika River. Surveys were carried up and down the Hokitika, and the minor streams of the district traversed. Th-> short winter days and stormy weather interfered greatly with the progress of our work, and at the beginning of July camp was broken up. Geological exploration in this neighbourhood was resumed in November, and continued until the epd of the year,