XXXII. T. W. KEELE. 
and the defence of his scheme against the constant and 
bitter attacks upon it and himself personally, imposed a 
burden which few men could have carried so long and so 
successfully. Broken in health he sought rest in the old 
country, but he never regained strength, and died at 
Southsea in Hngland, on 18th September, 1896. This 
great public officer to whom we owe the conception, 
design, and successful construction of the Prospect 
scheme, is now almost forgotten. There is not, along the 
whole long line of the works, even a simple name plate to 
his memory. Certainly there stands in adusty niche, high 
up in a dark corner of the basement of the Public Works 
Office, a marble bust—with an inscription on a bracket 
which it is almost impossible to read—which is recognised 
by a few of his old staff, as the presentment of their chief. 
Some day perhaps it may be brought out into the light and 
given a post of honour. 
The Board of Water Supply and Sewerage were fortunate 
in not having a deficiency of rainfall to contend with after 
assuming control of the works. On reference to the 
Sydney diagram (1) it will be seen, that for the five years 
following 1888, the rainfall was all above the mean. For 
the five years after 1893, however, a serious shortage of 
rain occurred. Fortunately for the consumers, the supply 
was not depending on the Botany catchment, or the 
situation might have been serious. The rainfall on the 
catchment from which the Prospect works derive their 
supply was however good, with the exception of 1895-6, as 
will be seen if the diagram (2) of the Cordeaux River be 
referred to, consequently there was no inconvenience. A 
comparison of the two diagrams will be of interest as 
showing the value of the more elevated gathering ground. 
The good seasons, however came to end in 1900, and for 
the three following years a remarkable falling off occurred. 
