C.-9

2

SUMMARY OF OPERATIONS. During the past season the operations of the Geological Survey have been extended to many parts of the Dominion. Marly in July, 1907, work was commenced in the Whangaroa Subdivision, Hokianga, Auckland, and is still being continued. Investigations were completed in the Coromandel Subdivision, llainaki, in March, 1907, and started in the adjacent Thames Subdivision in November last, where they are still being vigorously conducted. A bulletin, giving the results of our labours in the former area, was published during November. In January, 1908, a systematic survey of the Poverty Bay oilfields lying in the Raukumara Division was begun. Our initial operations in this locality were commenced in the Whatatutu Subdivision, including the survey districts of Waingaromia and Mangatu. The survey of this area will be completed before a bulletin descriptive of this portion of the petroliferous country is published. A detailed bulletin on the work in the Parapara Subdivision, Karamea, Nelson, which was started in September, 1906, and finished in March, 1907, was presented to Parliament during last session. This season much topographical work, as well as geological, has been carried on in the Heaphy Subdivision, also in Karamea, on the opposite coast of the South Island, and since the beginning of the present year we have had a geological party in the Mount Radiant Subdivision, in the south-western part of the Nelson Land District. The survey of the Mikonui Subdivision of Westland has just been finished, and a bulletin on this mountainous area will be presented to Parliament this session. Professor Park, who was again engaged during five months of the past season —from the Ist November, 1907, to the 31st March, 1908—conducted field operations in the Queenstown Subdivision, Western Otago, and his report thereon is now being prepared. Dr. P. Marshall under special arrangement carried out pakeontological investigations for the Department during the months of January, February, and March, 1908. In addition to the systematic and detailed work in the several subdivisions above mentioned, reconnaissance surveys were made during the past season to the head of the Landsborough River, South Westlandj from the mouth of the Heaphy River, Karamea, Nelson, to the headwaters of the Roaring Lion, a tributary of the Karamea: and through the southern part of the Urewera country: while special topographical work was conducted at the Franz Josef Glacier and in the surrounding mountains. The accompanying general maps of the North and South Islands of New Zealand show graphically the areas in which systematic surveys-have been conducted during the past three seasons. PUBLICATIONS. Last year the first annual report of the Geological Survey Department was issued as Parliamentary Paper C—9. Besides containing a detailed account of the operations of the reorganized Survey during the year 1906, anil a summary of the work accomplished during the year 1905, a brief description was also given of the Geological Survey prior to its reorganization in 1905. Bulletins Nos. 3, 4, and 5 were also presented to Parliament last session. Bulletin No. 3, written by myself, with the assistance of Messrs. E. de C. Clarke and E. J. Welib, Assistant Geologists, bears the title "The Geology of the Parapara Subdivision, Karamea, Nelson." Bulletin No. 4, entitled " The Geology of the Coromandel Subdivision, Hauraki, Auckland," was written by Mr. Colin Fraser, Mining Geologist, with the assistance of Mr. J. H. Adams, Assistant Mining Geologist. Bulletin No. 5, from the pen of Professor James Park, of the Otago University School of Mines, is entitled " The Geology of the Cromwell Subdivision, Western Otago Division." In all 4,644 copies of bulletins have been distributed since the Ist January, 1907, and 446* copies of the first annual report. LIBRARY. A good library is absolutely essential in a scientific department, so particular care is taken that all the latest text-books, written by eminent scientists, are obtained. In pursuance of this policy eighty-seven standard works have been added to the library since the Ist January, 1907. In addition, we have received exchanges from nearly all the geological surveys in the world, and from almost every scientific society or institution of note. FIELD AND OFFICE WORK OF THE DIRECTOR. During the period between the Ist January, 1907, and the 31st May, 1908, most of my time while in New Zealand was spent in the field. I was constantly engaged in field operations from the Ist January, 1907, to the 27th March of the same year. Between the latter date and the 29th June, I was employed at headquarters in Wellington, aiding in the preparation of the first annual report of the reorganized Geological Survey and the bulletin on the Parapara Subdivision, Karamea, Nelson. From the 10th July, 1907, to the Ist January, 1908, I was absent from New Zealand

* Does not include copies distributed at Parliament Buildings.