Hill. — Artesian-ioater Prospects at Wanganui. 347 



slope of beds in one direction, there must be a tilting along 

 the edges of the beds in the opposite direction, or in the line 

 at right angles to the flow. In the case of the area between 

 Wanganui and the sea, the long-handled shovel referred to 

 above will fully illustrate what is wanted. If the handle of 

 the shovel be placed in the direction of Aramoho, and the blade 

 in a sloping direction towards Kedcliffe, then the sides of the 

 blade will represent the cliffs along the sea-coast on the one 

 side and those between Shakespeare Cliff and Landguard on 

 the other. These will tilt inwards, and water dropped on any 

 portion of the blade, or the handle, were it flat, will flow in the 

 direction of Castle Cliff. Now, the clays extending from Shake- 

 speare Cliff to the coast cliffs appear to be so tilted ; but 

 whether as a result of denudation only, or of depression, or of 

 a combination of the two, it is — unless the testing-bore be 

 used — impossible to say. That there has been a downthrow 

 along the strike of the beds is certain, for Mr. Park truly points 

 out that " about 5 chains from the extreme west extremity 

 of Landguard a fault extends across the strike of the beds. 

 The gravel-bed which occupies a position up the middle of the 

 cliff is faulted down to the water-level, the displacement being 

 about 50ft." This may account for the dip, as seen in the 

 cliffs on the sea-beach, where the conglomerates suddenly dip 

 underneath the sands, and it is certain that similar conglome- 

 rates at Castle Cliff dip towards them, as if forming a syncline. 

 Here, then, there is evidence of what appears to be a limited 

 area of depression ; but whether the area in the immediate 

 vicinity of Wanganui itself was affected cannot be stated. 



These are all the facts which it has been possible to corre- 

 late concerning the character and arrangement of the rocks in 

 the vicinity and district around Wanganui. The area of the pro- 

 bable water-bearing basin is a very limited one, and of irregular 

 outline, and great care will be necessary in the selection of a 

 proper site for a trial-bore, should it be decided to put down a 

 well. My own opinion is that two trial-bores should be put 

 down, if any attempt is made at all. A bore put down near 

 the site of the Girls' College, and another one at or near the 

 Asylum, would test the question, once for all, whether or not 

 there is an artesian basin in the vicinity of the town. The 

 depth for testing purposes should not be less than 130ft. or 

 more than 250ft., and, if the area be one of depression, no 

 doubt water will be struck within these limits. 



