INTEKCOLONIAL WATER RIGHTS AS AFFECTED BY FEDERATION. 247 



The security afforded by the Water Rights Act has led to the 

 construction of works of a better class than formerly. In one 

 case the licensee of a large pumping plant has over forty miles of 

 channels for the distribution of the water, while another has 

 between thirty and forty miles. 



As the licensing of dams and other works was not made com- 

 pulsory, licenses have been applied for, as a rule only in cases 

 where the owners of such works had reason to apprehend inter- 

 ference. In view of the merely nominal fees prescribed, this is 

 short-sighted economy, as the development of the country increases 

 the value of the water supply, creates additional requirements, 

 and raises the question of the acquisition of new rights or the 

 subdivision of old rights. The great financial companies which 

 own station properties, have generally been more far-seeing on this 

 subject than private landholders, and the Railway Commissioners 

 have been more thorough still in taking advantage of the security 

 afforded by the Act. The actual outlay on works which the 

 licensing sections of the Water Rights Act were intended to 

 protect was considerably over two millions sterling, and possibly 

 over three millions. This outlay represents only a small fraction 

 of the value of these works to their owners and to the country, 

 for on these works depends, in a large measure, the successful 

 occupation of a great part of the Central and Western Divisions 

 of the State. Hence, it appears, that irrespective of anything 

 that the Government has done or may do, the protection and the 

 further development of water rights in the basin of the western 

 river system are matters of the first importance. 



With regard to the prospects of large irrigation works in this 

 State, two points of special interest were brought to notice in the 

 course of the recent inquiry on the proposal to construct a weir 

 for the diversion of an increased supply of water into Yanko 

 Creek. The first of these related to the extent and value of the 

 irrigation by natural overflow from the Murrumbidgee, and the 

 second to the value of the proposed Murrumbidgee southern 

 canal. 



