Hill. — The Artesian Well System of Hawke's Bay. 287 



is 36 feet ; Bedcliffe, near Mr. Williams's blue gmns, is 25-17 

 feet. Taradale, at the junction of the Meauee and New Tara- 

 dale Eoads, is 16-63 feet ; and Meanee, near the hotel, is 5-31 

 feet ; whilst Awatoto is 7 feet. From these data we are able to 

 form an estimate as to the general slope of the plain, starting 

 from the given point to the west of Eoy's Hill. Thus between 

 the starting point and Pakipaki, a distance of 8 miles, the slope 

 is 134 feet, or 16-8 feet per mile. Between Eoy's Hill and 

 Havelock, a distance of about 10 miles, the slope is 132-4 

 feet, or 13-24 feet per mile. Between Eoy's Hill and Awatoto 

 the distance is about 14 miles, and the slope is about 11-3 

 feet per mile ; whilst between Pakipaki and Awatoto the slope 

 is little more than 2 feet per mile. From these results we 

 gather : — 



First. That from Maraekakaho to the sea there is a gradual 

 slope amounting altogether to 166-4 feet. 



Second. That the slope is much greater between Eoy's Hill 

 and Pakipaki, that is to the east, and between Eoy's Hill and 

 Havelock, that is to the east by north, than it is between Eoy's 

 Hill and Awatoto, that is to the north of north-west. 



Third. That the lowest portion of the plain is between 

 Pakipaki and Awatoto, by way of the old Ngaruroro river-bed, 

 the slope being only about 25 feet ; whilst between Hastings and 

 Awatoto the slope is 35 feet, and between Omahu and Awatoto 

 the slope is 66 feet. 



Let us now consider the character of the plain which at 

 present forms a portion of the bay known as Hawke's Bay, 

 and situated between Napier and Cape Kidnappers, and which 

 is covered by the sea. If a point is taken, out in the bay, 15 

 miles east by south of Napie: , and about 8 miles to the north of 

 the Kidnappers, it will enclose an area which is almost a 

 counterpart of the Heretaunga Plain. The depth of the sea 15 

 miles from the Napier beach is 29 fatboms, or 174 feet ; at 14 

 miles from the beach the depth is 28 fathoms ; at 12 miles the 

 depth is 24 fathoms ; at 10 miles it is 18 fathoms ; at 8 miles 

 15 fathoms ; at 6 miles the depth is 12 fathoms ; at 4 miles it 

 is 10 fathoms ; at 2 miles it is 8 fathoms ; and at 1 mile the 

 depth is 4 fathoms. Imagine for a moment the water taken 

 from this portion of the bay, and there will be found an area of 

 land as flat, and with a slope as gradual, as the Heretaunga Plain 

 itself between Eoy's Hill and Awatoto. This plain was formed 

 in its greater part at the same time and under similar conditions 

 as the Heretaunga Plain, and, geologically considered, it is a 

 part of that plain. The shingle beach, which now forms such a 

 characteristic feature along the coast between Napier and the 

 Kidnappers, forms no part of the plain under consideration. Its 

 history is limited to the period when the Tukituki broke through 



