AN ABUNDANT SUPPLY OF FRESH WATER.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 6, Issue 292, 27 July 1865, Page 2

AN ABUNDANT SUPPLY OF FRESH WATER.

A discoveey of vast importance to the town of Napier was yesterday made by our feHow-towns-man, Mr R. G-. Hawes, being nothing less than a never failing source of fresh soft water, in an allotment adjoining the Government Reserve in Hastings-street (the White Road). It seems that Mr H. had heard several of the old natives assert that in times long gone by, they knew or had heard of fresh water being obtained somewhere in that neighborhood, and in conversation with Mr Colenso received confirmation of the report. Trusting that it might prove correct, Mr H. proceeded to sink in search of the spring, and at a depth of about 4ft. met with the reward of his labors. The discovery is not less remarkable than valuable, as the spot indicated is a portion of the shingle bank, having the open sea on one side and an extensive salt water lagoon on the other. The disccovery was witnessed by several individuals among whom was the Provincial Engineer, Mr Weber, whose opinion as to the source of the water is that it flows from the Tutaekuri river, under the bottom of the salt lagoon which he supposes to rest upon a clay bottom and rises again through the shingle. As the water seems to be quite pure and soft, and the supply unlimited, it promises to be a great boon to Napier.