Canterbury and Westhnd. 471 



nature of the ground passed through. An artesian well bored a 

 quarter of a mile east of the Slaughter yard amongst the Sandhills 

 passed through the following strata : — 



100 feet of clean sand mixed with sea shells 



9 „ „ clay 



2 „ „ very small shingle 



1 „ „ large boulders 



112 feet, when water was reached. 



Another artesian well, not far from the Green bottle Lake (about 1 



mile from the sea 

 ft. 

 18 



shore) gave the following section : — ■ 



in. 

 



blown sands 







3 



white clay 



36 







(blown ?) sands 



1 







clay 



37 







sands 







6 



shingle, scattered 



21 







sands 



5 







yellowish clay full of vegetable remains 







9 



very coarse shingle 



119 6 



I may here mention that, although I am speaking of the boring of 

 artesian wells, the method now universally adopted is merely to drive 

 down a pipe with a conical plug, and that this is done to a depth of 

 about 80 feet in a single day. Total cost per well £6 to £7. 



The rise of the artesian water above high tide mark is about 20 feet in 

 the average, consequently whilst in the highest western portion of the 

 town the water does not reach to the surface, it is rising at New 

 Brighton, opposite the bridge (depth of well 134 feet), to 13 feet, and 

 on the mudflats, near the Heathcote bridge (depth of well 124 feet) 

 to 17 feet. In many parts of the town the water still rises to such 

 a height that by means of rams the water can be brought into the 

 upper portions of the houses, whilst in others it has fallen so low that 

 it can only be obtained by means of pumps. Considering the number 

 of artesian wells scattered over such a comparatively limited area as 

 that of Christchurch and its neighbourhood, and of which about one- 

 half is allowed to run waste night and day, it is evident that the 

 supply of water required must be enormous, and that its gradual 



