Hill.— 0// Artesian Wells. 433 



separate basins, there is no reason to suppose that the water- 

 beds are absent in the one whilst being present in the other. 

 Possibly the places hitherto selected for sinking were too near 

 the hills. On the south side of Napier the rule holds good, 

 for the water-bearing beds are lost as the hills are approached. 

 For my part I should very much like to see another attempt 

 made to put down a well on the Western Spit by what is 

 known as the " shelling-out process." 



A test-well at this place would settle once and for all 

 whether artesian water is obtainable or not on the Port side of 

 Napier, and such knowledge would go far towards encouraging 

 the establishment of manufactures in close proximity to Napier 

 and to the seaboard. It seems to me that public bodies like 

 Borough Councils, Harbour Boards, and County Councils might 

 expend a portion of their funds in less useful ways than 

 testing for a good water-supply in places where the com- 

 munity as a whole is likely to be benefited ; and I, for one, shall 

 rejoice to see the day when public bodies like those named 

 will recognize that the co-operative principle in providing for 

 the common weal is not only the cheapest, but the one most 

 likely to lead to the rapid development of production and of 

 industries among communities. 



Third and Fourth Wells, Najjier. — The two wells to which 

 reference will now be made are situated in Muuro Street, 

 Napier, on what w^as until eight years ago a portion of dead 

 water known as the " Napier Swamp." The first of these 

 two wells is located some distance from the south-eastern 

 boundary of Clive Square, and the second well is just 14 

 chains further away from the same boundary in a south-east 

 direction. Clive Square is at the foot of the limestone hills 

 forming the so-called Scinde Island, about midway between 

 the north-east and south-west ends, so that the sinking of 

 these two wells in a straight line from the hills is of value as 

 showing the inclination of the water-bearing beds, whether 

 towards the limestones or away from them. The value, how- 

 ever, is much enhanced by the fact that 19 chains further 

 awayfrom the hills, along the same street, and exactly at the 

 junction of Munro and Hastings Streets, another well was put 

 down three years ago, so that in the same straight line 

 extending from the foot of the Napier Hills in their central 

 part there are three artesian wells, the exact depth of each 

 being known, and the geological characters of the beds in the 

 two wells under notice being also known for each foot and 

 portion of a foot passed through during the process of sinking. 

 These two wells were authorised to be put down by the 

 Napier Borough authorities to provide for the growing re- 

 quirements of the town, and they diifer from any of the other 

 wells in this district in their having a much larger tube-bore, 

 28 



