AtfNIVERSAEY ADDRESS. 53 



I am thankful that I am able to say from personal obser- 

 vation that my young friend, the Geological Surveyor, who 

 earned his spurs under Mr. Selwyn, in Victoria, is deserving of 

 the fullest confidence in his new field, and will before long estab- 

 lish his claim to it. But in this large Colony, the area for 

 accurate geological survey is so extensive, as he well knows 

 already, that it cannot be completed for a very long period, and 

 probably will not be during the present century, and then not 

 without an enormous outlay, which will some day alarm the 

 economists of Parliament. This department ought to have been 

 established thirty years ago, and I have often regretted that no 

 record has been kept of the observations of the thousands of gold- 

 diggers and others who have had as it were a good part of the 

 Colony in their hands so long, and might (some of them at least) 

 have contributed valuable information now lost to the world. 



Geological Maps. 



In endeavouring to make up for more official inquiry, it has 

 been a satisfaction to me to have done mon possible, though at 

 present, according to the Secretary for Mines in Victoria, the 

 Geological map of New South Wales is a blank, or, as he words 

 it, "as regards New South "Wales, there was a white sheet," 

 which was nevertheless enabled to be coloured " in a short time." 

 They do things in marvellously quick ways elsewhere. Here 

 observers have been obliged to see for themselves and form their 

 conclusions from observations, so that persons who have never 

 been in our territory may reap and glean for their own garners. 



It was refreshing to me, however, to read the following 

 announcement in the Melbourne Argus of 17th July, 1873, and 

 which was reprinted iu Nature : — " The New South Wales 

 Government have in preparation a geological map, which, it is 

 expected, will be available for use before the general map is 

 published." It is the first time we have heard of this admirable 

 intention and work of the Government, and could I believe the 

 statement as of a fact, I would readily retire from labour of a 

 similar kind on which I have been employed for many years, and 



