a 
on 
34 W. H. WARREN, 
comparatively small areas only can be dealt with in this 
manner ; also it should be borne in mind that landowners 
adjacent to a natural channel with a flow of water once 
or twice only in a year are in a much better position than 
those holding land back from channels, and are in less 
need of assistance, from the fact that they have a reliable 
source of supply which requires simple and cheap works 
only to store water, while the holders at the back have no 
reliable sources of supply and storage works are much 
more expensive. When storage works ina natural channel 
are not for the benefit of the general public but for 
private individuals, the conflict of interests in a storage 
for the supply of several holdings would be the only 
justification for the construction of the works. Where 
only one holder is affected, the Water Rights Act provides 
ample powers for private enterprise in that direction. 
Some of our main rivers can be dealt with only by the 
construction of small storage works along their channels 
and ana-branches, anda great amount of good can be done 
in this way for settlers adjacent to them; but some of the 
most necessitous areas can be supplied only by diversions 
on a large scale from the rivers that are capable of being 
dealt with in that manner. People so situated back from 
river channels are deserving of consideration before those 
on the river banks, and large works for their benefit 
should be initiated. This claim has already been recog- 
nised by the Government in certain areas by the con- 
struction of artesian bores and channels, the aggregate 
expenditure on which will probably equal that of a large © 
canal scheme. | 
The records and observations made by this Department 
during the past 19 years, of the heights and discharges 
of the various rivers of the State, enables a close estimate 
to be formed of the areas of country that can be supplied 
