OLD WELL FOUND

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 169, 20 July 1942, Page 4

OLD WELL FOUND

UNDER ALBERT PARK

HISTORY OF THE PAST

The unearthing of an old well by City Council workers last Friday when carrying out tunnelling operations under Albert Park for the construction of E.P.S. accommodation shelters recalls a chapter of Auckland's past history when drinking water was hard to obtain and in times of drought was sold in the streets by hawkers. It was a difficult problem in those days. Water had to be obtained from rain water storage tanks, wells and springs, both public and private. Public wells with pumps attached were situated in Queen Street, Albert Street and Kitchener Street. There was also a spring in Wellesley Street outside the old military barracks wall. People used to carry their supplies in buckets to their homes. The start was usual at 5 a.m. and queues would be formed throughout the day, so that everybody would get their water in turn. When Queen Street was asphalted in more recent times and the water mains had to be removed from the centre of the road to the footpath area, two of the old wells were unearthed. Now the third well has been discovered, and had it been full to the top a mighty flood of water would have swept through the tunnel, with what result one can only conjecture. Fortunately the well was only full to a distance of about two feet above the level of the tunnel floor and the use of a pump soon had the water under control. Rock Drillers' Find The well was discovered by rock drillers when they were making a crosscut between the Wellesley Street tunnel and one with an entrance in Kitchener Street. The drill was in Waitemata sandstone formation, which is fairly hard, when suddenly there was no resistance. Through the aperture water spurted and investigations with a pickaxe disclosed a water pocket. Engineers were quickly brought in and pumping operations commenced immediately. It was found on investigation that the well was 60ft deep from the surface in Albert Park to the floor of the tunnel. The well was bricked to a distance of 50ft from the park surface, while the bottom of the well was 24ft below the floor of the tunnel. The well is 6ft in diameter and the amount of water it contained above the floor of the tunnel was approximately 350 gallons. The full content of the well water was measured at 5000 gallons, but had the well been full to close to the surface of Albert Park the drilling operation would probably have resulted in the weight of water forcing its way out before the pump could have been got going. The consequences would have been a flooded tunnel system and the workmen in the cross and main sections would have had to make a hurried exit or possibly have been washed out. Periodical Subsidences In a few days time it is anticipated that the cross-cut will be completed and the well filled in. It will take 30 yards of spoil to the floor level. After the completion of the tunnel a bore will be put in from the surface, and the well completely filled in. The existence of a well in Albert Park, on what was formerly known as Barrack Hill was known to the superintendent of parks, Mr. T. S. Aldridge. He said to-day that there had been periodical subsidences at the well mouth, and a garden seat had been affected on one occasion. The location of the well is on the flat above the Albert Park slope facing Kitchener Street. It is approximately situated between the Band Rotunda and a drinking fountain to the south.