242 H. G. McKINNEY. 



its junction with the Darling, but its flow is liable to complete stop, 

 page. No Government works have been constructed on it, but there 

 are some important private works for utilising part of its waters. 



Mclnty re River. — A proposal was recommended for investigation 

 some years ago for diverting water from the Mclntyre River 

 through Whalan Creek. This is a work of the same class as 

 those in connection with the outflow creeks from the rivers already 

 referred to. 



Darling River. — Irrigation works on a large scale are out of the 

 question in connection with any of the rivers north of the Mur- 

 rumbidgee, and all the more so on account of the extensive areas 

 of land which are naturally irrigated under existing circumstances. 

 The river Darling is included in this category, but it will doubtless 

 eventually have a system of locks and weirs for navigation, and 

 these will greatly improve the facilities for pumping water for 

 irrigation. While it is improbable that any great area will be 

 irrigated at any one place in this way, the aggregate area, owing 

 to the great length of the river is certain to be considerable. 



Next to really suitable conditions for the settlement and tenure 

 of the land, the most important question in connection with the 

 western part of the State is the conservation and utilisation of 

 the available supplies of water. While the progress made in this 

 direction is much less than might reasonably have been hoped for, 

 it must be borne in mind that until the Water Rights Act of 1896 

 came into operation, the construction of dams and other works for 

 conserving and utilising the waters of creeks and rivers was 

 entirely unauthorised, and such works when constructed were 

 allowed to exist and be used on sufferance only. In view of this 

 state of affairs, it is in reality surprising that so much was done 

 by the landholders, especially when it is considered that besides 

 having no security for their water supply, the terms of the tenure 

 of their land were in many cases far from being so liberal as the 

 conditions of climate required. 



As regards the small amount of progress towards the carrying 

 out of large works and of extensive systems for water conservation 

 and supply, the delay will not be without its benefits if the experi- 

 ence gained elsewhere, both as to what should be done and to what 

 should be avoided, is properly acted on, not only in the design and 

 construction of works, but also in their management. 



