176 TANKS AND WELLS OF NEW SOUTH WALES, 
bringing water from a distance might be prohibitory, and then the 
only courses open would be to take advantage of local supply, to 
trust to the seasons, or to abandon the ground for agricultural 
purposes. The first of these alternatives can only be successfully 
followed when the rainfall and catchment area are sufficient to 
provide the necessary supply, and when the natural features offer 
facilities for storage and distribution at a cost that will allow of the 
ater being made commercially reproductive; the second alternative 
of trusting to the seasons seems tobe born of thehappy-go-luckystyle 
of farming so general in this country, and which, unless in 
particularly favoured districts, or in favourable seasons, is as general 
in 
the interests of the community has this been the result of under- 
taking agriculture under conditions that without artificial regula- 
authorities ei ant bearing of such local works on the 
wellfare of the country is very forcibly shown by the concluding 
marks in Captain Smith’ port on irrigation in the M 
contentment. Every acre that is newly watered passes at once 
om the revenue rate of dry, to that of wet cultivation, guaral- 
teeing to the Government an immediate return, pal with far 
Sreater ease to the cultivator of the land than the lower t#* 
leviable before. The ret rm is immediate, and its amount great. 
I have almost hesitated in adopting the data given by the Madras 
loners of Public Works, so extravagantly large do they 
