PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION D. 341 



In Tasmania the effect of denudation at the sources of river 

 tributaries and small streams is at the present day showing itself 

 in the quickly rising and violent stream-flow during heavy precipi- 

 tation, followed in dry weather by a much diminished low-water 

 flow. In regard to damage from floods in rivers of any size a 

 notable instance has recently occurred in the George River and its 

 tributaries during the great flood of March, 1911. This East Coast 

 river has its sources in the upper zone of the Blue Tier, which 

 experiences the heaviest falls in a given time known in the State, 

 and also in very broken, but cleared country, in an adjacent range. 

 The entire area surrounding its sources was clothed with dense 

 Antarctic beech forest previous to 1896, when much of it was de- 

 stroyed by an extensive bush fire, and after that a good deal of 

 the land on the Tier was cleared for settlement. The excessive 

 precipitation during an unusually heavy easterly storm on the 

 8th and 9th of March, 1911, falling on the bare forest land, caused 

 an immense flood, which destroyed every bridge of consequence on 

 the river. This river has always been subject to heavy floods, but 

 the run-off being formerly slower, time was available for the water 

 to get away without doing damage to any extent. 



If your Council approve of its re-appointment, in view of the 

 importance of the subject, and to await the replies from European 

 countries, it is recommended that this report be confirmed as an 

 interim one; and, at the same time, that certain recommendations 

 be now drawn up, with a view to urging their adoption by the 

 several State Governments whenever land is alienated for settle- 

 ment either by freehold or leasehold. 



Kecommendations . 



Tn accordance with the principles set forth in the above resolu- 

 tion, your Committee recommend — 



1 . That ail forest on the upper zones of ranges holding the 



sources of rivers of importance be conserved for the 

 future. 



2. That whenever land holding the sources of minor streams is 



sold or let, it shall be under the express condition that 

 the forest round the sources of the streams shall be con- 

 served for a distance to be hereafter decided upon by 

 regulation, having in view the topography of the ground 

 in question. 



3. That when land is being alienated in valleys of alluvial 



nature through which rivers with strong stream-flow run, 

 all trees and vegetation must be conserved on their banks 

 for a width to be hereafter determined by regulation. 



