240 H. G. McKINNET. 



In discussing the question of the bearing of Federation on 

 rights in the Murrumbidgee, only proposed works have been 

 referred to, the reason for considering these first being that the 

 proposed works are of far greater magnitude and importance than 

 any yet undertaken. But there is another aspect of the case of 

 immediate and direct interest to a large number of landholders. 

 In the first place Yanko Creek has been greatly improved so that 

 water commences to flow in it when the surface level in the Mur- 

 rumbidgee is about eighteen inches, above what is termed "Summer 

 Level" at Wagga Wagga. The further improvement of this creek 

 has been authorised. In addition, there are other outflow creeks 

 which landholders are beginning to value more than they did 

 formerly, and are therefore disposed to utilise to greater advantage. 

 But besides these there are about thirty pumping establishments 

 on the river, the great majority of which include large centrifugal 

 pumps of considerable lifting capacity. It is at once obvious that 

 the interpretation which the Inter-State Commission will place 

 on the term "reasonable use" will be one of great interest to 

 the owners of these pumps, and of the land along the outflow 

 creeks. 



As the waters of the river Lachlan do not reach the Murrum- 

 bidgee, except during high flood, it may be assumed that they 

 will be outside the jurisdiction of the Inter-State Commission. 

 A similar remark applies to the waters of the Bogan, which is an 

 intermittent tributary of the river Darling. 



The case of the Macquarie River is somewhat different. 

 Although this river has a more or less effective catchment of over 

 10,000 square miles, the flow in it is very irregular and often for 

 long periods does not reach the river Darling. The quantity of 

 water gradually diminishes, especially after passing Narromine, 

 and the landholders on the lower parts of the river can generally 

 tell, within a fair degree of approximation, how far a freshet will 

 reach before it is exhausted. On the other hand, during seasons 

 when the rainfall on the Upper Macquarie is abundant, a con- 

 siderable flow passes into the river Darling, and if the supply 



