3

a—2c

parts of the East Cape-Gisborne district are notoriously deficient in rock suitable for roadmaking, harbour works, and building purposes generally, the last-mentioned deposits arc of great economic value. Tongaporutu-Ohura Subdivision. The area which it has now been decided to call the Tongaporutu-Ohura Subdivision extends over the greater part of North Taranaki and contains a large part of a considerable coalfield, portions of which were described in last year's report and in Bulletin No. 24, lately issued. During 1922-23 Mr. Grange's work extended over Mimi, Upper Waitara, and the western half of Waro survey districts. In this area no indications of petroleum have been found, and Mr. Grange is of opinion that the prospect of shallow boring for oil being successful is slender. Coal may exist in depth. No high-class roadmaking material occurs in the area examined, but conglomerates suitable for roads carrying light traffic outcrop in various places. The geological results of the past season's work are summarized by Mr. Grange on later pages. Waihi Goldfield. The further examinations of the Waihi district made last year on the whole confirm the favourable opinions expressed in the preliminary report published in the New Zealand Journal of Science and Technology (Vol. 5, No. 2, pp. 109-22, 1922). A lengthy bulletin written during the past year has been submitted for publication. Work. During the past year Mr. J. Marwick, M.A., Assistant Geologist and Palaeontologist, has been engaged mainly in examining the Tertiary Mollusca of the Geological Survey collections. Special attention has been given to the collections made by officers of the Survey in the course of field-work and to material collected from horizons adjoining coal-measures, such as the lower part of the Oamaruian and the Wangaloa beds, near Kaitangata. The results now in sight are of importance. It is therefore to bo desired that the difficulties at present attending the publication of scientific work will soon disappear, and that before long those interested will be fully informed of the work already accomplished, thus clearing the way for further progress. Through, the instrumentality of Dr. F. A. Bather, Keeper of the Geological Department of the British Museum, Dr. H. L. Hawkins, Professor of Geology at University College, Reading, has kindly undertaken the description of the Tertiary Echinoderms sent to England in 1913, and since then stored at the British Museum. Some additional material has lately been sent to Dr. Hawkins. Dr. Otto Wilckcns, of Bonn, has examined a few fossils from Shag Point and elsewhere, and in a brief report which he has kindly furnished expresses the opinion that the beds from which the Shag Point fossils come are probably of Upper Senonian age. Publications and Reports in the Press. The following publications have been issued during the year : — Sixteenth, Annual Report (New Series) of the Geological Survey (Parliamentary Paper C.-2c, 1922). Palajontological Bulletin No. 9, " The Upper Cretaceous Gastropods of New Zealand," by Dr. Otto Wilckens. Bulletin No. 24, " The Geology of the Mokau Subdivision," &c, by Dr. J. Henderson and Mr. M. Ongley. Bulletin No. 25, " The Geology and Mineral Resources of the Collingwood Subdivision," by Messrs. M. Ongley and E. 0. Macpherson. Two reports by members of the staff have been published in the New Zealand Journal of Science and Technology (Vol. 5, No. 3). These are " The Genesis of the Puhipuhi Cinnabar Deposits : a Working Hypothesis," by Mr. W. H. Cropp (till lately Geological Assistant), and " Notes to accompany a Geological Sketch-map of the Marakopa District," by Dr. J. Henderson and Mr. L. I. Grange. An article by Mr. J. Marwick entitled " The Genus Glycymeris in the Tertiary of New Zealand " will appear in the overdue volume of the " Transactions of the New Zealand Institute " for the year 1921 (vol. 54). Separates have already been issued. Mr. T. H. Withors's report on " The Fossil Cirripedes of New Zealand," mentioned last year, is now in the press, and is expected shortly to be issued. As already stated, a bulletin dealing with the Waihi Goldfield has lately been submitted for publication. Various other reports are ready, or nearly so, for the printer. Office-work, etc. The office-work during the past year has been of the ordinary character. Reports and bulletins for the printer have been prepared, revised and edited. Various reports, not necessarily intended for publication, as well as other information, have been supplied to the Mines Department. Numerous mineral samples have been examined for members of the public, but in only a very few cases have the results been of more than passing interest. During the year Mr. G. E. Harris, Draughtsman, drew geological maps of nine survey districts, and various other maps to be reproduced by photo-lithography. He also prepared eleven field-sheets, and made a large number of tracings for various purposes. - Library. During the year publications were received from many Geological Surveys in other countries, universities, and learned societies, in exchange for the bulletins of this Survey. The care of the library entails a considerable amount of work, which is increased by the cramped shelving accommodation available for the ever-increasing number of volumes, but the library is invaluable for reference purposes, and the labour expended on it is amply repaid by results.