Hill. — Artesian- water Basins of Heretaunga Plain. 439 1 



and began to be formed when the larger portion of the plain was 

 above water, as the exposure of the beds at the Washout in the 

 flood of 1897 clearly showed. If the shingle beach were taken 

 away, just as we supposed the water for fourteen miles out in the 

 bay to be taken away, there would be a valley-plain thirty miles 

 in length and from eight to ten miles in breadth, so flat and sc 

 gradual in the slope of the bedding that it would be impossible 

 for the most perfect eye to distinguish the inclination of the beds. 

 The character of the beds as they slope gradually into the bay 

 will be better understood by pointing out a few facts as to the 

 present height of the Heretaunga Plain. Roy's Hill is situated 

 on the right bank of the Ngaruroro River, and is the last hill on 

 the right when proceeding along the plain to Maraekakaho. 

 Between it and the latter place the Ngaruroro River on several 

 occasions has broken through the right bank in time of flood, 

 and an embankment has been constructed for protective purposes. 

 At this place the height of the plain is 166'4 ft., and it may be 

 set down as the highest portion of the plain. The distance from 

 the Washout at Waitangi is about fourteen miles in a straight line. 

 From Roy's Hill to Pakipaki the distance is about eight miles, 

 and from the latter place to the Washout is about twelve miles. 

 From Roy's Hill to Havelock the distance is about eleven miles, 

 and from Omahu Bridge to Havelock the distance is 7*75 miles. 

 Now, Pakipaki is 32'39 ft. above sea-level ; West Hastings is 

 44 ft. ; East Hastings at the junction of the Havelock and 

 Karamu Roads is 39 -9 ft., and at the Havelock Bridge over the 

 old bed of the Ngaruroro the height is 34 ft. above sea-level. 

 Omahu at the bridge is 73 ft., at the Pa 63 ft., and at the old mill 

 near Crissoge the height is 48'2 ft. Papakura is 36 ft., Redcliffe 

 near the bridge is 25-25 ft., and Pakowhai is 18'5 ft. At the 

 junction of the Hastings-Havelock roads, near the Manga teretere 

 Public School, the height is 15'5 ft., and at the Give Bridge 

 Hotel the height is 11*5 ft., whilst at the Waitangi Bridge near 

 the Washout the height is 7-25 ft. Taradale, at the junction 

 of the Napier and Meeanee roads, is 16'75 ft. ; at Meeanee, near 

 the hotel, the height is 5 - 5 ft. ; and at Awatoto it is 7 ft. 



These facts as to the height and general slope of the plain 

 that is already above sea-level are supplied by Mr. J. Rochfort, 

 C.E., and they will enable us to interpret something as to the 

 quantity and character of the material that has filled up a whole 

 arm of the original area of subsidence in a fairly regular sequence 

 of beds that get deeper and deeper as they run seaward, and 

 eventually die out in the bay at a distance that may be fairly 

 set down at fourteen or fifteen miles from the beach that runs 

 between the Washout and Awatoto. Underlying this immense 

 accumulation of deposits is the old sea-bottom, made up of blue 



