22 president's address. 



ment and the London and other British Water Boards by the- 

 press of population in the Old Country. The average daily supply 

 to London has increased from 144 million gallons in 1881 to 225 

 millions in 1906-7, the amount consumed per head being 33 

 gallons in each year. In 1960, at 35 gallons per head, the 

 Metropolitan Water Board estimates the demand at 420 millions. 

 By the construction of immense storage reservoirs, and elaborate 

 connections, the chief engineer believes that it will be possible to 

 obtain a supply of 450 million gallons from the Thames, but that 

 this is the absolute limit. It is thus plain that London will have 

 to draw water by an heroic scheme from a distant source, probably 

 the mountains of Wales, and that within the lifetime of a 

 number of the existing population. And the other cities of 

 Great Britain have to face correspondingly heavy expenditures. 

 And here comes in the further difficulty that several of these 

 have their eye on the same sources. Hence the Water Board 

 has adopted this resolution : " That as the increase of population 

 will eventually render resort to some other source than the 

 Thames watershed imperative, the Board view with great alarm 

 the increasing tendency of authorities throughout the kingdom 

 to appropriate water-supplying areas for their particular use, 

 and in these circumstances desire to urge upon Parliament the 

 necessity for regulating the appropriation of water supplying 

 areas, so that the needs of the metropolis as well as of other 

 populous places may receive due consideration." In England, 

 then, they are, of compulsion, looking ahead half a century in 

 making arrangements for the metropolitan water-supply. 



With this example before us, it would seem to be an evidently 

 wise policy to make sure betimes of the most extensive catchment 

 areas for the ever expansive water supply needed for the 

 metropolis, for Newcastle, Bathurst, and the other large towns. 

 Though our numbers do not compare with those of the 

 British cities, our need for water per head is greater, for our 

 gardens and parks, and for our growing manufactures, while the 

 loss by evaporation is far greater than anything known in Great 

 Britain. There is need to keep watch on these catchment areas,. 



