THE PARKS OF SYDNEY. 31 



tion Reserves (Domain and Botanic Gardens), in the power 

 of the Harbour Trust. I only mention these two reserves 

 because they are the most important, and I imagine that a 

 clause for the protection of these national reserves might 

 fitly be inserted in an Amending Act of the Sydney Harbour 

 Trust Act. These reserves are, I feel sure, in no danger 

 from the present enlightened Harbour Trust Commissioners, 

 but they might be succeeded by gentlemen who would be 

 inclined to look upon public parks simply from a commercial 

 point of view. 



As an instance of the way in which the utilization of a 

 park frontage for wharfage purposes may deteriorate a park, 

 the south-eastern part of Woolloomooloo Bay affords an 

 instructive example. Wharves are creeping along the 

 Domain in that direction, and we already have nuisances 

 from : — 



1. Smoke of steamships. If a man on shore own a smoky 

 chimney he is prosecuted, but the funnel of a steamship 

 can belch forth smoke, darkening the air for a con- 

 siderable distance and disfiguring the ground with 

 smuts, but no prosecution follows. The north-easters 

 (our prevailing winds during the summer months) blow 

 this smoke into the Domain to the discomfort of citizens 

 and to the injury of the vegetation. 



2. Stinking cargoes. I have been made nearly sick when 

 passing bags of horns and bones, hides and other 

 abominations on the Woolloomooloo Wharf. What a 

 regrettable arrangement it would be for a continuance 

 of the wharves along the Domain frontage, especially 

 since it would follow that these pestiferous odours 

 would be wafted into the Domain and Gardens by the 

 prevailing north-easter. It would be impossible to 

 forbid our staple articles of export .from being placed 

 on a public wharf. 



