Canterbury and Westland. 473: 



for some days. Dr Powell made also the observation that invariably 

 when the artesian well on the next section (the Wesleyan parsonage) 

 about 30 feet distant from his own is running, the level of the 

 latter sinks at once half an inch. I need here scarcely point out that 

 it would be very important to have all the obtainable information as to 

 the underground water supply of the district carefully collected, 

 and mapped, and sections prepared. Such documents would be of the 

 greatest usefulness, their study leading us to conclusions the value of 

 which cannot be overestimated. 



The sinking of wells on the Canterbury plains in many directions 

 (many of them reaching to a considerable depth), has proved that 

 these plains consist invariably of river shingle and sand, cemented 

 more or less by a ferruginous matrix. In a well between the Ashbu-r- 

 ton and Eakaia, sunk about 15 years ago, near the main road, where a 

 supply of water was reached at a depth of 220 feet, the shingle at the 

 bottom became much cleaner and incoherent, resembling the small 

 shingle in the Rakaia river-bed. For a number of years past I have 

 urged on several occasions upon the late Provincial Government to 

 undertake trial borings of artesian wells over the most waterless 

 portions of the Canterbury plains, but without success. The obtaining 

 of an ample supply of water by such means would have been of immense 

 value to the country, and would have promoted the settlement of many 

 thousands of acres of land which are now comparatively useless. I 

 still believe that it is well worth the expense upon those portions of the 

 plains where artificial irrigation has otherwise to be resorted to. The 

 copious natural springs in many parts of the lower plains, giving birth 

 to a number of small creeks, such as the Avon, Heathcote, Little 

 Eakaia &c, sufficiently prove that also higher up water-bearing beds 

 are existing, which run out on the plains at no inconsiderable altitude 

 above the sea level. 



I am sorry that similar wells have not been sunk at Timaru, where 

 there is all probability that good water by means of artesian borings 

 might also be got without too great a cost. 



