PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS. 
By HENRY DEANE, M.A., M. Inst. C.E., ete. 
[Delivered to the Royal Society of N.S. Wales, May 6, 1908. | 
I HAVE taken for the subject of my address some railway 
matters— 
Closer Settlement and Economical Construction of 
Railways.—Much has been said as to the necessity for 
encouraging closer settlement and bringing population in 
from outside Australia to help in accomplishing this end. 
There may be several reasons for encouraging and assist- 
ing immigration when the natural increase of the population 
of the country does not suffice to meet the want. First of 
all there is the question of defence. We have such large 
uninhabited and sparcely inhabited tracts, that it is not 
unreasonable to expect that these areas may excite the 
cupidity of the yellow skinned nations to the north and 
north-west of us, and the only way to counteract that 
tendency, is to provide for the settlement of the land by 
desirable white people, preferably of our own race, who 
would thus be able to help in the defence of the country. 
Another advantage in closer settlement is that, at any 
rate within certain limits, living is cheaper and more com- 
fortable as produce is brought nearer to hand by railway; 
as villages and towns spring up and opportunities for social 
intercourse multiply, wealth increases and the well being 
of the community advances. The United States of America 
and Canada are notable examples of the rapid growth of 
population and its advantages. Towns spring up and busi- 
ness grows: people established in the country accumulate 
wealth, while those arriving see a similar chance for them- 
selves in the future. It goes without saying that the cost 
A—May 6, 1908. | 
