IMPORTANCE OF FEDERAL HYDROGRAPHY. XXV. 



Mr. Boultbee, in his report on Artesian Boring in New 

 South Wales, page 5, referring to the enlargement of our 

 geological knowledge and the delimitation of the artesian 

 area says, " The demand made upon his time by the multi- 

 farious duties imposed on him do not permit our Govern- 

 ment Geologist devoting that time to this important branch 

 of geological survey which it demands, and which he 

 desires." Again on page 7, referring to mapping of the 

 artesian area " the area is so vast, and the labour expended 

 so slight in proportion to it, that a great element of uncer- 

 tainty still must necessarily exist which can only be 

 removed by comprehensive detailed work." Regarding 

 legislation, he says, it "has been lamentable, weak, inade- 

 quate, and was introduced without data sufficient to affirm 

 the necessity for it." The introduction to the same work 

 by the Minister for Public Works contains the following — 

 44 We fully recognise how much we have still to learn, and 

 how little we have been able to do, regarding the investi- 

 gation so necessary into the complex and scientific questions 

 arising regarding the flow, the pressures, and the limit of 

 interference one bore with another." The author places 

 this evidence before you as being the experience of those 

 who have dealt practically with some branches of the sub- 

 ject, and who must have felt acutely the want of systematic 

 research in the whole realm of hydrography. 



In order to eliminate the uncertainty and inefficiency of 

 present methods and to acquire that complete knowledge 

 of hydrology so essential to our welfare, let us first review 

 what may be termed the elements of the subject, and after- 

 wards note their individual importance and bearing on 

 questions that require solving. The essential elements of 

 hydrography are : — 



1. The systematic gauging of rainfall and the collection of 

 statistics as to its distribution and precipitation. 



