492 



Transactions. 



Christchurch wells, as has again been noted by Hutton. But, since tbe 

 Waimakariri is flowing always, it is probably losing water by percolation 

 always, and not only during floods ; and the rise of water-level may be so 

 toned down by passage through miles of gravel as to be unrecognizable 

 by the time it reaches Christchurch. This is rendered probable by the 

 behaviour of the well at Belfast, six miles from Christchurch, as described 

 by me,* where a river rise of 8 ft. gave a well rise of 5 in. The absence 



Ra/n- 

 mches 



32 



My Jl Sp Hv Ja MrmyJu Sp Ny Ja Mr My Jl Sp Nv Ja Mr My J I 5p tlvJa Mr Mj Jl o> IN Ja llr My Jl 5p Nv Ja fc My Jl 5f N» 

 1310 1911 1912 1913 1914 1315 1916 



Graph showing fluctuations in static level of four artesian wells in or near 



Christchurch. 



30 



id 



26 



>22 

 20 

 18 

 J€ 

 /4 



of response of Christchurch wells to Waimakariri floods, then, is not 

 necessarily at variance with the evidence of the graph, that the Waimakariri 

 is the chief source of the Christchurch artesian water-supply. 



In 1862 or 1863, at B. Taylor's brewery, on the site of the present Normal 

 School, some pipes were driven into the ground to form a staging. After 

 a time water was found flowing from these pipes, which thus formed the 

 first artesian well in Christchurch. The City Council then sank a 2 in. 

 pipe at the corner of Tuam Street and Ferry Boad to a depth of 81 ft,, and 



Loc. tit., p. 158. 



