856 PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION J. 



settlement, and containing, as now, a large public institution. 

 The old penal settlement at Carnarvon, Port Arthur, has 

 also a supj)ly, Avhich is now very much out of repair. 



In another town local enterprise has been strongly enough 

 supported to raise a loan for conserving water. What was 

 formerly a large swamp has been transformed into a lake 

 covering an area of twelve hundred acres, with an average 

 depth of fifteen feet. This lake forms the source of the river 

 flowing through the town, and secures for the residents a 

 copious supply all the year round. The water has, however, 

 to be carted from the river when required. An enterprising 

 individual has also erected pumps and tanks, and laid down 

 mains in the principal streets. AVater is supplied therefrom 

 at so much per tap, the consumer paying the cost of attaching 

 a service to the house when he feels disposed to adopt it. 



Then there are twelve townships in which it is contemplated 

 to institute new local systems of water supplies, and Acts of 

 Parliament have been applied for and granted in one or two 

 instances. The majority of these are gravitation schemes, 

 whilst others resort to pumping, either by steam or water 

 power. Many of these schemes, however, are in a state of 

 embryo, but it is satisfactory to note that residents are awaken- 

 ing to the necessity of providing themselves with an adequate 

 supply of watei', not only for domestic use, but also for 

 sanitary purposes and protection from fires. Accepting as a 

 probable fact that the above twelve towns will have supplies, 

 or are contemplating having them, there yet remains a large 

 number of more or less consequence inadequately provided 

 with water, to say nothing of over fifty so-called towns, and 

 no less than four hundred and twenty-five villages or settle- 

 ments, which in all likelihood will be left to their present 

 resources for many years to come. 



They may never require any alteration in their present 

 system of obtaining water, but should unforeseen circumstances 

 arise further developing them and bringing them into 

 importance, then, probably when it is too late, it will be 

 discovered that the most accessible and economical means of 

 obtaining a supply has been overlooked, and a serious and 

 expensive diflficulty has to be encountered in finding a new 

 and suitable one. Useless regrets and condemnations will 

 then be expressed reflecting on the central or local authorities 

 in not having provided for any such emergency. 



As a rule all settlements, viflages, or towns are located in 

 close proximity to a supply, more or less, of Nature's firsli 



