ANNUAL ADDRESS. XVII. 



on record that in one of the Australian States water supply 

 works were constructed at Government expense for a small 

 town, no charge being made for the water supplied, and 

 that when a pump of very simple construction, in connec- 

 tion with these works, went out of order, a deputation 

 promptly went to the Government to ask that repairs should 

 be made. The Minister, as is usual on such occasions, 

 informed the deputation that he would refer the matter to 

 his officers. When returning to their town, the members 

 of the deputation, after discussing the question, came to 

 the conclusion that the Minister was not sufficiently im- 

 pressed with the urgency of the case, and that his officers 

 likewise, might not be in a hurry in attending to it. After 

 further discussion, a member of the deputation suggested 

 that it might be worth while to try whether the local black- 

 smith could put the pump in order, and it was agreed that 

 the deputation should try this course on their return. They 

 did so, and the village blacksmith, who was fortunately to 

 some extent, at least, in accordance with Longfellow's 

 ideal, offered to do his best, to ask for nothing if he should 

 fail, and to make only a reasonable charge if he succeeded. 

 The end of the matter was that the blacksmith successfully 

 repaired the pump and charged seven shillings and sixpence 

 for the work— an amount which was very much less than 

 the railway fares of the deputation. Among people in the 

 Western States of America who proclaimed that they 

 44 want no paternalism," the account of an occurrence like 

 this would give rise to many reflections. 



In New Zealand and Victoria systems of local Govern- 

 ment are in force, and water supply and sewerage works 

 of towns are to a large extent dealt with by municipalities. 

 In New South Wales the towns depend on the Government 

 for both classes of work ; in fact, the people lean on the 

 Government and depend on it for all classes of engineering 



2-May21,1902. 



