134 



an experimental boring within tlie area of tlie "mound- 

 springs." 



Large sums of public money liave within the last year been 

 improlitably spent, at least so far, in the search for subter- 

 ranean water in the arid country between the Head of the 

 Great Australian Bight and Eucla, which would in all proba- 

 bility have yielded better results if applied to the search for 

 water in the district to the north-east of Lake Eyre. Tou 

 will not have forgotten that I was employed by the late 

 Grovernment to examine the western country with the view to 

 the feasibility of obtaining water on the artesian principle, 

 and that my report was unfavoiu-able. Soon afterwards the 

 Commissioner of Crown Lands, in reply to a deputation, said 

 that " the Government would not be disheartened by the 

 reports of the geologist who lately visited that part. 

 (Laughter.) In spite of the geological drawbacks he thought 

 water would be found ; at any rate the attempt would be 

 made." — *S^. A. Begister, 28-4-1880. Such is the reyj)ect shown 

 to an opinion thoughtfully and honestly arrived at. I parti- 

 cularly say honestly because if water fit for stock had been 

 obtained as the result of actiug on my advice I was to have 

 received a bonus of £500. The next step in the programme was 

 to depute Mr. J. W. Jones to follow in my track, the apparent 

 object, judging from the interjaculations in his report, being 

 to represent things in a different light. He seems to have very 

 closely followed me, as the geological observations set forth in 

 his report are unacknowledged transcripts from my published 

 paper. On the main question at issue, Mr. Jones writes : — 

 "As to the prospect of obtaining water on the artesian prin- 

 ciple by boring below the upper water, I think it is difiicult to 

 judge with any certainty, and nothing less than boring will 

 satisfactorily solve the doubt." — Par. Papers, vol. iv., No. 191, 

 1880. Just my sentiments, says the ex-Commissioner. But I 

 am sure that you will agree with me that a simple negation 

 should not cancel a statement logically deduced from indis- 

 putable premises. " Let those laugh that win" is a proverb 

 of which I may have occasion to remind the ex-Commissioner 

 and his abettors. 



