VI. H. G. McKINNEY. 



ditions of the country render it necessary that this should 

 be so ; but these conditions aid in the adoption of the best 

 schemes and in the attainment of the highest efficiency in 

 their management. As the Hon. Alfred Deakin states in 

 his excellent work "Irrigated India," "The advantages of 

 a despotic rule are exhibited in such cases as these, where 

 the officers of the Department are perfectly free to choose 

 the best scheme possible, and to execute it without regard 

 to the individual wishes or interests of their constituents. 

 In tlie colonies these would be forced upon their attention 

 at every step, and they would have to pay dearly for any 

 encroachment, or imaginary encroachment upon them." 

 This statement of the case is admirably put, and indicates 

 clearly that the system which is undoubtedly the best for 

 India would be likely to prove a failure if attempted in the 

 self-governing colonies. In regard to the management of 

 the irrigation works, Mr. Deakin aptly sums up the position 

 in these words : — " Liberal as are the provisions under the 

 Victorian Irrigation Act, and unparalleled colonially, 

 except in South Australia, they are not nearly so favour- 

 able as are the conditions under which the Hindus obtain 

 their water supply, and the money necessary to enable 

 them to make the best use of it. This Asiatic despotism 

 after all is kinder than any democracy Las yet proved itself 

 to be." In view of this generous treatment of the people 

 who use the water, the direct as well as the indirect 

 financial results speak volumes for the efficiency of the 

 administration of the irrigation works. The direct return 

 on the outlay is seldom so low as five per cent., that from a 

 a number of the largest works varying from seven to ten 

 per cent, while in some cases the net return is as high as 

 twenty per cent. 



Prom what has been stated it will be seen that so far as 

 large engineering works affecting any considerable number 



