CHAIRMAN S ADDRESS. XVII. 



in abundance. Here water is scarce, but coal is every- 

 where abundant, and if the developments of electricity are 

 to proceed as rapidly in the future as they have done in 

 the past, its application to railway purposes must come 

 very soon. Everything is favourable to the production of 

 electricity in Australia; we have extensive coalfields right 

 through our large and unoccupied areas; generally the coal 

 is very near the surface, and of excellent quality, and there 

 is no reason why the employment of electricity should not 

 solve the problem of operating railways through dry country. 



The enormous developments of the future that I have 

 here outlined only in one direction will create an unpre- 

 cedented demand for engineers, and as the condition of the 

 work will be entirely Australian, and will probably develop 

 along entirely original lines, the opportunity will be unique 

 for creating a distinct type of Australian engineering. But 

 if the young Australian is going to avail himself of these 

 chances and to take what belongs to him in virtue of his 

 hereditary rights, he will have to abandon the characteristic 

 Australian trait of leaning against a post, whether the said 

 post be the Government or any eleemosynary support. 



Local Government in New South Wales, although pri- 

 marily a State question, is one of such magnitude, that it 

 may be regarded as an Australian problem. By the passing 

 of the Shires Act an important piece of decentralisation 

 has been effected, and the engineers, who formerly were 

 Government officers, now become municipal engineers. 

 This sudden change will have far-reaching effects upon the 

 status and qualifications of the shire engineer, and in order 

 to fill his position satisfactorily to the shire he will have 

 to be a man of all-round capabilities, qualified to deal in its 

 entirety with every phase of engineering that may present 

 itself in his district. He must be prepared to take the full 

 responsibility of all works without a department at his 



2— May 16, 1907. 



