236 H. G. McKINNEY. 



third stage has been reached ; while Queensland, which has not yet 

 had time for developing its resources, is still in the second stage. 



Before proceeding to deal seriatim with the rivers of New 

 South Wales, it is necessary to mention that as the result of 

 lengthened investigation of the question, the present writer 

 reported, about fourteen years ago, that the only rivers of this 

 State which afford a sufficiently regular supply of water to warrant 

 the construction of canals on a large scale for irrigation and other 

 purposes are the Murray and the Murrumbidgee, and that in the 

 case of the latter, the subject of adding to the regularity of the 

 supply of water by means of storage reservoirs, should receive 

 attention. When Colonel Home visited this State to report on 

 water conservation and irrigation, he was supplied with particulars 

 regarding all the western rivers, and two extensive schemes for 

 canals were placed before him. One of these schemes was for a 

 canal from the river Murray at Bungowannah, six miles down 

 stream from Albury, the main canal extending to near Moulamein 

 with branches taking off to Daysdale, Jerildirie, Deniliquin, and 

 Tocumwal. The other project was for a canal from the Murrum- 

 bidgee taking off below Narandera, the main channel extending 

 to a point south-westerly from Hay, with branches heading to 

 near Darlington Point and Hay on its north side and to the 

 neighbourhood of Jerilderie, Conargo, and Wangonilla on the 

 south side. 



Colonel Home concurred in the conclusion that the Murray 

 and the Murrumbidgee are the only rivers of New South Wales 

 from which extensive canal works could be constructed with 

 advantage ; but he considered that even in these cases storage 

 reservoirs should at the outset be constructed as part of any such 

 large schemes as had been proposed. In view of the established 

 practicability of these works, of the extent to which the natural 

 conditions are favourable, and of the immense benefits which the 

 works would confer, it is safe to assume that their construction is 

 only a question of time. One of the schemes would, in fact, have 

 been constructed years ago by private enterprise, if the necessary 



