Hill. — On Artesian Wells at Wanganui. 349 



different beds passed through, as shown in the drawing, cor- 

 respond in many respects to those met with in the Napier- 

 Heretaunga artesian basin ; and they are similar in the main 

 to those forming the hills over the whole of the Wanganui 

 district, as far as seen by me. They belong to what is known 

 as the " Kidnapper conglomerate and pumice deposits," which 

 are so largely developed throughout theHawke's Bay District. 

 From the specimens sent to me it is evident that the area form- 

 ing the Wanganui artesian basin is one of depression or slow 

 subsidence, similar to our own Heretaunga Plain ; and when a 

 few more wells shall have been put down it will be possible 

 to do what it is possible to do now in the case of the Napier 

 and Heretaunga wells — that is, to tell within a very small 

 distance the depth of the sinking necessary to reach the water- 

 bed, no matter where the locality, so long as it is situated 

 within the basin of the water-bearing area. 



The following information is given concerning the beds 

 met with in Wanganui well No. 1 : (a.) 6ft. of black iron- 

 sand, with streaks of orange-red pumice-sands. (b.) 6ft. 

 swamp peat and sands, (c.) 18ft. pale-brown clay, somewhat 

 tough, (cl.) 15ft. of fine greyish-blue sands, (e.) 65ft. of pale- 

 blue clay, mixed in places with very fine sand. In this bed, 

 and at a depth of 75ft. from the surface, a pukatea log 1ft. in 

 diameter was met with. (/.) 14ft. of dirty gravel or grit, with 

 bits of wood. The grits are of all colours ; and towards the 

 bottom of the bed some of the grits are cemented together. 

 An inexhaustible supply of excellent water was met with in 

 this bed. It rose to within 6ft. of the surface, or to a height 

 of 40ft. above sea-level, (g.) 6ft. of fine, crisp, silver-coloured 

 sand (blown). The small black grains seen in this sand re- 

 semble pitchstone. (h.) 75ft. of blue clay, with shells. The 

 clay is somewhat tough, but fine sand appears in places. 

 (i.) Grey sandstone full of shells, all recent, and corresponding 

 to most of the specimens named in my paper (Trans., vol. xxii., 

 1889, pp. 435-36) as occurring in the Napier wells. Mr. Gil- 

 berd, the contractor for the well, tells me that underlying the 

 present water-bearing bed is deep-blue clay ; but I am in- 

 clined to think he is mistaken in this opinion. The small 

 specimen of clay sent to me as coming from the underlying 

 bed corresponds in every particular with the clay in the 75ft. 

 section ; and I think it will be found that the overlying clay 

 will slowly wear away and be brought to the surface, unless 

 the tube-bore be driven to the bed from which the water 

 flows. From the character of the shells, I think it very likely 

 that another grit- and shingle-bed is below, and there is every 

 appearance that water will be obtained from yet another 

 underlying bed. The water now flowing corresponds to the 

 lower middle beds as met with in the Napier 6in. sinkings ; 



