on his Visit to Australia.



3ii



Kalgoorlie is situated about four hundred miles inland

from Perth. In 1894 some prospectors discovered gold there,

and the news was a signal for people to flock thither from almost

all parts of the world. The place was then nothing but a barren

desert with practically no rainfall, and the only water that could

be procured was obtained by condensation from some salt lakes

in the neighbourhood. Condensing plant was erected and the

water sold at £6 per thousand gallons. There was no proper

road, and the seekers after the precious metal had to travel

thither as best they could, and many never reached their des¬

tination.


In the few years that have elapsed since those days most

wonderful changes have been made. Kalgoorlie is now a fine

city of 30,000 inhabitants, with good hotels, a splendid electric

tram service, a telephone system far superior to that in any

ordinary English town, a most elaborate race-course—the Aus¬

tralian cannot exist without horse-racing—and an excellent train

service and water supply. Moreover the gold mines are worked

with the most modern and expensive plant procurable. The

water supply is worth especial mention. As I just remarked the

only fresh water to be had in the first years of Kalgoorlie’s

existence was condensed, the average annual rainfall of the dis¬

trict being less than six inches. Thanks to the energy of the late

Premier, Sir John Forrest, whose name will always be held in

high esteem in Western Australia, an elaborate water scheme was

inaugurated by which water is now pumped for a distance of

352 miles through a wrought iron pipe, eight pumping stations

being employed ; and thus an abundant supply of good water is

available in the town. But this is not aviculture !


We made enquiries as to what birds were to be seen in

captivity and discovered quite a number of bird-fanciers, but the

ubiquitous Canary seemed to be first favourite. Several people

also kept Budgerigars, but no one seemed to be able to breed

them. Cockatiels, some of which were excellent talkers, and

Yellow-Collared Parrakeets, called locally “ Twenty-Eights,”

were also kept. We discovered one lovely specimen of the

Alexandra Parrakeet (which by the way is now in the Parrot-

house at the Zoo), and learned that some three years ago these



