president's ADDRElgS. 355 



As far as pastoral pursuits are concerned the enterprise of the 

 squatter has done good and lasting work, and the settling of stock 

 on the available lands of the continent may with safety be left to 

 the energy of this able and intelligent class, but, in order to 

 enable Australia to become the home of millions of our race, 

 thei*e are two things which must receive our immediate and con- 

 tinued attention. 



The tirst is the conservation of water for the irrigation of the 

 soil, and the other is the systematic and careful survey of the 

 mineral character of the continent. The first will enable Aus- 

 tralia to produce sufficient to support a large population, and the 

 other will produce sufficient for wealth and comfort. 



The subject of irrigation is one that is most important to our 

 future, for there is no denying the fact that, taken as a whole, 

 Australia is a country in which permanent surface water is 

 scarce. As a general rule there is a sufficient rainfall, and in 

 many places there are running rivers and springs, and therefore 

 the work of irrigation will not be very difficult, and must be 

 productive of great benefits. Hitherto, however, want of means 

 and ample scope for ourselves and our flocks and herds, has either 

 prevented or has obviated the necessity for turning our attention 

 to this most necessary and beneficial work, but enough has been 

 done to show us what a change will take place in Australia when 

 our population has increased even say tenfold, and our resources 

 are correspondingly developed by the means of irrigation. Ne- 

 cessity must force the matter forward, for by no means of irriga- 

 gation alone, can Australia be made to support the population 

 which in a few years will inhabit it. 



In considering the question of irrigation, it is interesting to 

 examine the drainage, or river systems of Australia, and on the 

 map before you I have sketched the six distinct systems, viz. : — 



1. The Western coast rivers. 



2. The Northern ,, ,, 



3. The Eastern ,, ,, 



4. The Murray River. 



5. The rivers emptying into Lake Eyre. 



6. The area without any extensive drainage system. 

 The western coast rivers drain a large extent of country, but 



as a rule the watershed is low, and except in the case of the rivers 

 on the N.W. coast the alluvial lands are not very extensive. In 

 the S. W. corner the climate is excellent, the soil productive, and 

 the rainfall ample, and this corner of Australia will, in the 

 future, I believe, be the home of a large population. 



The northern river system is extensive, though the rivers ai'e 

 as a rule short, and owing to the height of the watershed the 

 alluvial plains are generally extensive. This portion may be con- 

 sidered to comprise tropical Australia, and is destined to be a 

 large producing territory in the future. 



