Hill. — On an Arlcman Water -siqjply. 567 



flowed over what is now dry laud, and what are now head- 

 lands were then islands, with channels of considerable depth 

 between them and the mainland. 



If these few remarks should arouse sufficient interest in the 

 subject to prompt some competent observer to investigate and 

 throw some light on the natural forces at work on our coast- 

 lines I shall feel well repaid. 



Art. LIV. — On Artesian Water Prospects in Poverty Bay 

 and Gisborne. 



By H. Hill, B.A., F.G.S. 



IBead before the Haivke's Bay Philosoi^hical Institute, 12th October, 



1S96.] 



The Town of Gisborne, in the Poverty Bay district, is situated 

 a little to the eastward of the 178th degree of east longitude, 

 and about 38° 23' south latitude. To the west and north-west 

 of the town a plain extends of some 15,000 to 20,000 acres in 

 extent, through which the Waipaoa River and several smaller 

 rivers flow to the sea. The Turanganui Eiver, on which the 

 Town of Gisborne stands, is made up of two streams — viz., 

 the Waimata and Taruheru. Neither of the rivers named as 

 flowing into the bay is a shingle-carrier, and, as far as I have 

 seen, there is no trace of shingle along the beach between the 

 town and Young Nick's Head, on the south bend of the bay. 

 Near the new freezing-works there is a puraiceous chalky-like 

 material which rims the lower front of the Kaiti Hills, facing 

 the town. The substance may be described as tough rather 

 than hard. It is very absorbent, and weathers well on ex- 

 posure. There is no trace of its junction with the adjoining 

 rocks, although in the exposed bands of fine sandstone which 

 are exposed along the eastern side of the breakwater at low- 

 water there are traces of this rock met with, and it appears to 

 be resting unconforinably on the sandstones. A similar deposit 

 is met with on the opposite side of the bay, between Te Arai 

 and the Murewai, where there is an isolated hill of from 50ft. 

 to 60ft. high, composed entirely of this pumiceous chalk-like 

 material. The rock appears to strike across country from 

 north-east to south-west, for it appears along the coast in the 

 vicinity of Gable-end Foreland, and it is also met with on the 

 Gisborne-Wairoa Eoad, between Panikanapa and the Upper 

 Patutahi. 



The tops of the hills eastward and north-eastward from 

 Gisborne, as far as Tua-motu Point, are covered with a heavy 



