Page:Municipal Handbook of Auckland 1922.djvu/165



In the early days of the City, the water supply was obtained from storage of rain water, springs, and wells (public and private). The public wells, with pumps attached, were situated as follows. Two were in Queen Street, one nearly opposite Mr. J. H. Dalton, tailor, and the other opposite Hardie's Buildings; one in Albert Street, opposite Masefield's Buildings; and one in Kitchener Street, nearly opposite the Magistrate's Court. There was also a spring in Wellesley Street East, outside the old barrack wall. It is interesting to note that when the asphalting of Queen Street necessitated the removal of water mains from road to footpath, two of the old wells were unearthed. The new water mains now pass through them.

In those days people had to carry their supplies in buckets from the wells to their homes. The journey to the wells began at 5 a.m., and so great was the demand that queues were formed so that everyone got to the well in turn.

In 1864, an agitation was raised about the difficulty of obtaining water, with the result that the Government instructed the late Mr. Henry Wrigg, C.E., to report on a water supply for the City. Mr. Wrigg recommended a gravitation scheme from Nihotupu, the head works suggested by him being close to the site of the recently constructed auxiliary dam. Nothing was done in connection with the report, and the old state of things