Anniversary Address. 41 



emphasis, ( See Trans. N.Z, Inst., II., p. 366, issued April, 1870), 

 and the comparison holds good from the Ovens Eiver and Gipps's 

 Land to Eockhampton. 



SUPPLY OF WATER. TLOODS. CLIMATE. 



"With a few words on another topic I will conclude. I refer to 

 the Water Commission, to the evidence before which I contri- 

 buted several facts relating to the elevations in the districts from 

 which it has been proposed to obtain a supply ; and as I had 

 myself reported on a supply for Paramatta nearly thirty years 

 ago, and afterwards, in 1850, was the chairman of the Artesian 

 Well Board, I am not stepping out of my way in noticing this 

 subject. 



Nature seems this year to have given us a further insight into 

 her operations. And, in consequence, we have the seeming 

 inconsistency of a body of scientific gentlemen seeking a snpply 

 of water ; and a portion of the same Commissioners employed in 

 seeking how to get rid of a superabundance of it. Of course 

 there is no actual contradiction. It is Sydney that wants the 

 supply ; Maitland that wants to get rid of one. 



Now, touching the former, I have been confirmed recently in 

 my previous views, that it is to tanTcs and reservoirs that we must 

 look for our domestic supply. The millions upon millions of tuns 

 that have been running away uselessly, or doing damage, during 

 the last few months would have been sufficient, if properly stored, 

 to have sufficed for many years for a greater population than we 

 have at present. The valuable data in the report of the 

 Commissioners for dealing with this question of supply will not, 

 assuredly, be thrown away ; and it is only a matter of cost that 

 has to be considered, if their scheme is to be adopted. . 



This very question is attracting attention at home, and in the 

 last number (brought out by the mail on the 16th instant) of the 

 Joii/rnal of tlie 'Royal Acjricultiiral Society of England (Yol YI., 

 No. 11, p. 268), are some calculations showing the practical value 

 of private tanks and public reservoirs, in an excellent paper 

 " On Yillage Economy," communicated by Mr. J. Bailey Denton, 

 C.E. But private individuals need not allow the bounty of 

 Providence to be wasted, if they would, by a very simple contrivance, 



