WATER SUPPLY MR J. O. FIELD AS DIVINER

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXXV, Issue 12912, 14 July 1936, Page 5

WATER SUPPLY

MR J. O. FIELD AS DIVINER

V BIG STREAM CLAIMED UNDER GISBORNE.

One of the most serious problems before the Borough Council is the supply of water for Gisborne, and aiready several experts have been consulted with an idea to evolving a plan to overcome the difficulty. Last year, as a temporary expedient, a pumping plant was installed hear the Matawhero bridge, and the council has now under consideration a filtration sc-hemo from water also provided by tlio Waipaoa river. According, however, to Mr J. O. A ' field., there is a vast subterranean stream flowing under the Poverty Lay flats towards Gisborne.. He claims that it is the purest water, and the supply would be adequate for ail time. Speaking as a water diviner, he suggests that the stream is the original main river of Poverty Bay, and says it is easily the largest subterranean flow he has experienced in New Zealand. For many years Mr Field has plaeo<. his services as a water diviner freely at the disposal 'of farmers, many small underground streams having been tapped. Making a test in connection with the underground river, Mr Field commenced about four miles from the borough and the stream was divined inland for a distance of about five miles. The divining rod showed considerable activity in several places, indicating, according to Mr Field, the

existence of a considerable body of water. At each point the stream was measured and varied from 270 ft. to 360 ft. in width. In each instance the test indicated the continuous direction of the stream, which Mr Field claims to have traversed from its upper regions down to the point of discharge into the hay, a distance of close on 20 miles. In the upper. reaches the stream was actually tapped for industrial purposes, and drawn from a shingie bed, showed a supply of 40,000 gallons per hour without variation. This, Mr, Field states, was only a portion of the stream that was tapped. The traversing of the subterranean river towards Gisborne has engaged a good deal of 'Mr Field’s time during the past two years. - Mr Field as the result of his tests, that there is a superabundance of the.purest water below 4Gisborne. He stated that ho had intimated to the Gisborne Borouga Council that he was prepared to give ■f a demonstration provided that the council would proceed with a test boro to try out the stream.