254 A HISTORY OF THE COLONY OF VICTORIA 



position, and although Mr. Bent and Sir Bryan O'Loghlen made 

 occasional feints of attack, they were soon fain to cease from trou- 

 bling. 



The period of the Gillies-Deakin Ministry covered a few im- 

 portant legislative measures, a season of exceptional social activity 

 and jubilation, and culminated in disastrous strikes and labour 

 troubles that threatened the stability of society. The Acts of 

 Parliament passed during the four years 1886-90 which were 

 really of importance to the progress of the colony were the Irriga- 

 tion Act ; a beneficial amendment of the laws relating to neglected 

 children ; an Act creating a Department of Public Health ; and 

 the Acts under which the Marine Board and the Melbourne and 

 Metropolitan Board of Works were called into existence. Of these 

 the most far-reaching in its anticipated effect upon the prosperity 

 of the people was the Irrigation Act, and its numerous off-shoots 

 of Water Supply Loan Acts. Although the Gillies Ministry carried 

 it through Parliament, and brought it into operation in the begin- 

 ning of 1887, it had been incubating since 1884. In that year 

 Mr. Service had appointed a Commission to inquire into the best 

 methods of helping the Victorian farmer to combat the too frequent 

 droughts, which made his returns so irregular and disappointing. 

 Mr. Deakin, who manifested an active interest in the subject, and 

 who was Chairman of the Commission, was deputed to personally 

 inspect the processes in vogue in Western America, where the 

 climatic conditions and requirements had more relativity to the 

 wants of Australia than had those of Italy or Egypt. His mission 

 was a pronounced success, and in 1885 he submitted a report of 

 his inquiries, which was able, exhaustive and most encouraging. 

 The success which had ever attended irrigation in California and 

 the adjoining States was, however, entirely due to private enter- 

 prise. The United States Government took no heed of the move- 

 ment, and only some of the State Governments interfered so far 

 as to frame local regulations to conserve existing riparian rights. 

 Mr. Deakin was quick to recognise that a very opposite policy had 

 prevailed in Victoria, and he believed that the great power which 

 this indifference placed in the hands of private capitalists might 

 lead to costly litigation and much discontent. He therefore re- 



