200 ESTABLISHMENT OF A GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, 
precedent for the establishment of a permanent survey here, and 
we are actually behind three of the leading colonies in not already 
having one. Although Queensland is the youngest colony of the 
group of the four most important Australian colonies, and it 
probably is the richest of the group in mineral wealth, yet the 
scientific survey of its mineral fields is very much behind in the 
proper investigation of their permanence and value. 
At present, in Queensland, we have only two geological 
surveyors, Mr. R. L. Jack and Mr. W. H. Rands, the latter of 
whom has only been recently appointed. Perhaps I may be allowed 
to point out the great value of the work already done by Mr. Jack, 
who has without assistance surveyed the mineral fields of 
Charters Towers and district, Herberton, Hodgkinson, the 
Bowen River Coalfield, Little River Coalfield, Ravenswood,* 
Normanby Goldfield (south of Bowen), Mount Morgan Gold- 
field, besides taking part in an exploring expedition to the Cape 
York Peninsula, and in advising the Government on many 
minor fields which have not turned out to be of commercial 
importance. It is almost a matter of surprise that so much 
good work could have been done by one man under the circum- 
stances, and with the frequent interruptions with which Mr. 
Jack has had to labour. It is to be regretted from a scientific 
point of view that his work has been carried out without a 
system, but under the circumstances that could not have been 
avoided by him. The fact is that Mr. Jack and Mr. Rands are 
employed as geological surveyors of mineral fields,and there is 
very little scope for them to do any pure geological work or 
even accomplish anything like a systematic geological survey of 
the fields on which they are employed. 
Up to the year 1872 the geology of Queensland may be said 
to have been without any literature, because, although reports 
* The survey of this field is not yet complete. 
