H.—34.

seeps out at the north edge of the river at a point 7 chains west of the wells. The stream here impinges against coarse talus of light-coloured quartz-veined greywacke. About 4 chains east of the springs warm water flows in small amount from two cuts in slope deposit. The mineral water thus reaches the surface at points over a length of 11 chains along the north side of the valley. This suggests that the fault along which the springs rise has an east-west strike. Partings in rock outcropping a chain west of the springs suggest that the fault dips steeply west. The dip and strike are thus sub-parallel with the small lenticular quartz vein (up to 2 ft. wide) exposed at a point rather less than two miles north-east from the springs, near the head of a small east branch of Jack Creek, which itself enters the Maruia from the north half a mile up the valley. This lode, as well as several strong p>ug bands in a wide crush-zone, dip steeply north. The overflow from the wells was roughly gauged and found to be rather more than a gallon a second. All the water escaping from the underlying fracture is not concentrated in the two existing wells, which are merely two square holes a few feet deep, boxed with concrete, and sunk in the gravel flat where the water discharged most freely. More hot water can be obtained (1) by pumping from the existing pools, (2) by sinking other wells in their immediate neighbourhood or along the line of the gravel-concealed fracture, (3) by driving into the talus slope 4 chains east of the springs where hot water has already been found, or (4) by boring through the hanging-wall of the fissure to tap it below its outcrop. The small fan of the rill a chain west of the springs suggests itself as a possible site for boring, but probably the first prospecting should be in the talus slope to the east of the springs. Water from the springs has been chemically examined on several occasions. The Colonial Analyst in 1900 reported that a sample of the water contained 46 parts per 100,000 of fixed saline matter, principally chlorides of the alkalis and alkaline earths, and smelt strongly of sulphuretted hydrogen (Col. Lab., 33rd Ann. Rep., 1900, p. 23). Three analyses of the fixed salts are available, the results being given in ions :— (1) (2) (3) Na .. .. .. .. .. 18-0 15-01 16-50 K .. .. .. .. .. 0-6 0-72 0-79 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 0-36 Ca .. .. .. .. .. 0-7 0-50 0-57 Mg . . Trace Trace 0•07 Fe .. .. .. .. .. Trace 0-06 0-02 CI .. .. .. .. .. .. 14-50 15-18 HC0 3 .. .. .. .. .. .. 14-85 13-91 so, .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 5-07 A 1 .. .. .. .. .... .. 0-18 AI 2 0 3 .. .. .. .. .. .. 0-10 Si0 2 .. .. .. .. .. 7-1 7-00 7-18 Total solids, parts per 100,000 .. .. 52-1 53-11 59-83 No. 1. (Col. Lab., 36th Ann. Rep., 1903, pp. 14-15). —The temperature is given as 140° F., the results are here expressed in parts per 100,000, and an obvious slip in the silica is altered. No. 2 (Dom. Lab., 48th Ann. Rep., 1915, p. 24). —The sample also contained 2-72 parts of H,S per 100,000 of water. No. 3. (sample collected H. E. Fyfe in 1930). —The sulphate content of this sample may be derived from the oxidation of the H 2 S. The Dominion Analyst suggests that No. 3 analysis corresponds to a possible mineral content as follows :— NH 4 CI 1-07 KCI 1-51 Na CI .. .. .. .. .. .. 22-69 A1 2 (S0 4 ) 3 1 -14 Fe 2 (SOJ 3 .. .. .. .. .. .. 0-07 Na 2 S0 4 .. .. .. .. .. 6-01 Ca (HCO 3 ) 2 .. .. .. .. .. 2-30 Mg (HCO 3 ) 2 .. .. .. .. .. 0-42 Na HCO s .. .. .. .. .. .. 16-29 Residual Na (1-15) combined either as sodium sulphide or sodium silicate. Mr. Fyfe also collected samples of the gas which is given off from the wells in small amount. It consisted almost entirely of nitrogen and methane. UNDERGROUND WATER, RAGLAN. By J. Hendersoh. Raglan is built on a sprawling peninsula that extends, from the south side of Whaingaroa Harbour, an east-west inlet eight miles long formed by the sea invading the low parts of a stream system. Opoturu Arm, a tidal flat two miles long and 20 chains wide, lies west of the peninsula, and its branch, Kaitoki Creek, fully as wide and nearly a mile long, extends along the south side. To the east lies the estuary of Ohira Stream, and the small Aroaro Creek cuts deep into the peninsula from the north. Raglan itself is built on a low flat a few feet above the sea, but the peninsula for the most part has a gently

108