G. H. KNIBBS. XXXII. 
very imperfect. The measured or estimated yields may be 
sufficient for general purposes, but it will hardly be claimed 
that they are adequate for exact deductions. Had exact 
hydraulic records been kept from the first opening of the 
bores, the attempt to reach a conclusion would have rested 
upon a much more secure foundation. 
The initial circumstances as regards fall of pressure are 
of special value; so also are the initial records of the 
influence of adjacent bores. By alternate partial or wholly 
shutting down of bores it is not difficult to ascertain what 
these reactions are, and such a proceeding could be made 
to throw much light upon the problem. As successive 
bores, however, are opened, its complexity naturally 
increases, and unfortunately we have badly missed our 
initial opportunities, and to a large extent have been work- 
ing in the dark, and not only so, but also adding difficulties 
to the solution. 
III].—IMPORTANCE OF THE ARTESIAN PROBLEM. 
1. Importance of the problem generally:—If under any 
given condition the artesian supply is certain and continu- 
ous, or at the worst subject to only relatively small fluctu- 
ations about a mean ‘value, the exploitation to an extent 
which maintains permanency is indicated as desirable, for 
the reason earlier set out, (See I., 1). In other words the 
exact limit of safe draught upon the artesian supply is 
really the crux of the problem. Here again, however, the 
question is not quite definite. Suppose, for example, that 
the opening of fresh bores should be followed by diminutions 
of flow in others, there may still be increase of advantage, 
for the maximum benefit really occurs when the total efflux 
from all wells is utilized with the best economic results, 
not necessarily when it is an absolute maximum. From 
this it follows that every bore giving a flow in excess of 
