The Lyttelton Times, SATURDAY, MARCH 1, 1862.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XVII, Issue 971, 1 March 1862, Page 4

The Lyttelton Times, SATURDAY, MARCH 1, 1862.

The mode by which the two principal towns of the province will eventually be supplied with water seems to have been discovered almost siinultaneouslj\ Our readers will remember that some months ago, we advocated the trial of artesian boring1 in the town of Christchurch, and suggested that the Government should send home for the proper apparatus and commence sinking* for public fountains. What the Government have not clone, at least so far as is publicly known, private enterprise has succeeded in doing, and the fact is-estab-lished that perfectly pure water may be had in abundance at a moderate depth by the process of boring through the subsoil of Christchurch. It is difficult to overrate the importance of this discovery, for though the city is traversed by a river sufficiently large to supply its wants for some generations, unfortunately the rapid growth oi the watercress has so completely tainted the stream with decaying1 vegetable matter that it threatens to become both nauseous and unwholesome. A fresh supply of water has also been discovered in Ly Melton from a source before but little suspected. For the space of two months past, the contractors of the railway have had great difficulty in contending1 with the increase of the water which wells out with considerable force from crevices in the solid rock laid open by the process of blasting. So considerable did the supply at last become that when it reached 60,000 gallons a day the men could no longer work at the inner or northern face and had to confine their labours to effecting a junction with the southern drive of the tunnel, which, as will be found staled in another part of our columns, has at last been effectually accomplished. For the last five weeks nothing has been done to the north face of the rock, and yet the water forces itself through with the same violence as when the last blast was fired, shewing either that extensive springs must exist below the surface or that a monstrous cavity may possibly be found within the mountain, the repository for years past of the drainage of the hills. Already, the water taken out with the imperfect machinery applied for temporary purpose?, would fill a space considerably larger than Lyttelton church, and .yet, as we have said, there is no sign of the stream diminishing in force. Whence this supply of pure water may ultimately be found to take its source, must remain a matter of conjecture for the present j but whether from springs or a reservoir, we think there can be little doubt that it is permanent in its diameter, and to be depended upon for its continuance. Even if there should be any serious doubts on this point, a little time will soon set the question at rest. We would, therefore, urge upon the people of Lyttelton to take the preliminary steps necessary to turn this valuable acquisition to account. The shaft hitherto used by the contractors for raising the water, will in a i'e.w days cease to be of any further use to them, and arrangements will at once be made by which 60,000, or it may be 100,000 gallons of pure water will be suffered to run daily into the sea, at a time when hundreds of the townspeople have scarcely a cup of drinkable water on their premises, and others in the.upper part of the suburbs are compelled to purchase'this necessary for their daily use. The Municipal Council, as the inhabitants of the town, could not do better than take the preliminary step of consulting an engineer as to the works requisite for turning this treasure to account at the least pos- | sible expense. We believe it would be found that £10,000 would be amply sufficient to furnish a steam pump with the necessary gear for a depth of 100 feet, as well as build two large reservoirs in different parts of the town, connected by proper pipes. Large as this sum appears at first sight, it is literally nothing when compared with the benefits which would accrue to the health and comfort of the town fiom an ample supply of pure fresh water. We should be loth to think that, a single householder would refuse to assist in some shape towards so desirable an end. How to raise the funds, whether by loan, or by a share capital, or partly by both, the Municipal Council would be best able to advise upon, as before long* it is to bo presumed they will be possessed of full information as to the value of the rateable property and income of the town. Tt is most important that some steps should be taken at once in the matter, as it will be too late for Lyttelton to avail itself of the opportunity when the shaft is allowed to go to ruin, which will probably be the case as soon as the contractors no longer require it. We have no means of knowing what has'been the cost, of this shaft, but as it passes through

■ the hardest rock to a depth of 100 feet, it 1 must have cost several thousand pounds at ■ the least. It wonld therefore he most , unwise not to take advantage of the offer ' which we believe the contractors, would be , found ready to make, to hand over the shaft to the authorities to be used for the purpose' of obtaining- a supply of water for the inhabitants of Lyttelton. By the extension of artesian wells in Christ church under systematic supervision, and by rendering1 available-the recent discovery in Lyttelton, there-is no reason, if ' ordinary activity is shown by the authorities, ' why the two principal towns of Canterbury should not be as well or better supplied with water at a moderate outlay than any other towns in the colony.