XXXIV. ABSTRACT OF PROCEEDINGS. 



From Mr. Statham's statement it is eyident that to Mr. 

 Bennett belongs the credit of originating the idea for 

 obtaining a water supply for Sydney from the Upper Nepean. 

 But the difficulties in the way were very considerable, 

 there were few maps obtainable, and the country south 

 and west of Appin was quite unexplored, and little was 

 known of it except from timber getters. The information 

 supplied by Mr. Statham with reference to the possibility 

 of storing a considerable amount of water at the head of 

 George's River is well worthy of investigation. 



I agree with Mr. Poole that a circular tunnel would be 

 rather inconvenient, and probably more costly to excavate 

 than a rectangular one, to be subsequently arched and 

 inverted. This is a matter for consideration when the 

 design comes to be dealt with. I adopted the circular 

 section merely for convenience in calculating the discharges 

 of the various tunnels under review. 



In conclusion, I would like to impress upon all concerned 

 the necessity of dealing promptly with this question of 

 improving the Water Supply of Sydney. An investigation 

 such as was proposed by Mr. Oardew, and approved of by 

 the members of this Society, should be commenced without 

 any further delay. 



From my point of view, after a very close study of the 

 rainfall question extending over many years, I am of opinion 

 that we are in a period of declining rainfall, which com- 

 menced in 1894, and has continued to the present time 

 with an occasional year above the average. We may have 

 a very few years more above the average, but I feel certain 

 that from 1921 to at least 1931 the decline will be more 

 severe and continuous than anything we have yet experi- 

 enced. We should therefore endeavour to be prepared 

 for it. 



