Proceedings of the South African Philosophical Society. iii 
OrpinaRy Montuty MEETING. 
March 27, 1899. 
T. Stewart, £.G.S., M.I.C.H., President, in the Chair. 
M. EF. Rounpen, Esq., was nominated for election as an ordinary 
member. 
H. L. L. Fevttuam, Hsq., and Dr. W. W. Stoney were elected 
ordinary members. 
Mr. W. L. Scuater exhibited copies of Bushman paintings found 
on a krantz at Schoombie, and of others from Basutoland represent- 
ing scenes of battle and the chase. 
Dr. T. Murr showed certain herbaria, the outcome of prizes he 
offered to schools and children a year ago to encourage a practical 
interest in botany. 
Mr. H. P. Saunpers read a paper on ‘‘ Boring for Water in the 
Colony.”’ Mr. Saunders said there were few districts in the Colony 
in which careful and competent selection would not discover sites 
where, within 200 feet of the surface, considerable supplies of water 
would be found, an average of 10,000 gallons per diem being easily 
obtainable by use of a wind pump froma three-inch bore. Increasing 
the diameter of the hole on the more favourable sites would often 
give 50,000 gallons per diem by pumping. During six years’ 
experience in boring for the Government Mr. Saunders had never 
failed in striking water either in the Malmesbury Beds or in the 
Dwyka Conglomerate. It was futile to expect large supplies from 
deep boring in the Colony. 
Mr. G. Atston said that his measurements, taken over many 
years, showed that the subterranean water-level was gradually 
sinking. He suggested that the Government should repair the loss 
by making a double or treble line of large dams in the upper portions 
of the country, from which water could be forced into the porous 
strata to make good the loss caused by tapping at lower levels. 
Dr. Pimrs corroborated the sinking of the water-level, and agreed 
that it was due to excessive tapping of the underground supplies. 
Mr. McEwen called attention to the boring at Matjesfontein and 
Tweedside, where water had been struck at a Hepple of 400 feet to 
the amount of 50,000 gallons a day. 
Mr. WESTHOFEN said that last year the Government had nineteen 
drills in use; 367 holes were bored, with an aggregate depth of over 
26,000 feet ; in 325 of the holes water was found, and of these 258 
yielded more than 1,000 gallons per diem. The Government was 
spending £16,000 to £18,000 a year on this work, and all they got in 
return from the farmers was perhaps not more than £3,000, 
