SAND-DRIFT PROBLEM IN NEW SOUTH WALES. 83 
THE sand-drift question is of national importance to New 
South Wales, and may be conveniently divided into the 
Coastal and Western problems. Hach may be treated 
separately, and most people will agree that the latter is at 
once the more difficult and of greater urgency at the present 
moment. At thesame time the coastal problem is increas- 
ing in importance and should be dealt with, otherwise it 
will become a serious drain on the public treasury and on 
the purses of our citizens. Stringent regulations should 
be issued by the Government forbidding the burning off or 
cutting down of the natural sand-binders (trees and shrubs) 
along our coast, except under suitable regulations. 
J. THE COASTAL PROBLEM. 
It would be difficult, and perhaps impossible, to ascertain — 
the money loss which has accrued to the Government, to 
municipalities, and to private citizens in the suburbs of the 
cities of Sydney and Newcastle alone, in combating the 
sand-drift nuisance. Many private landowners, trustees 
of parks and cemeteries along other parts of the coast have 
sand encroachments which they are interested in fixing. 
I have for a number of years taken an interest in this 
question, and again draw public attention to it, because I 
think the nuisance can, for all practical purposes, be abated 
in the vicinity of large towns, provided a little expenditure 
be incurred and work accomplished be not allowed to be 
undone through neglect. As instances of what has been 
done locally in fighting the sand-drifts, I give notes in 
regard to two well known cases. 
1. Newcastle—On the 14th October, 1886, was assented 
to—‘An Act to authorise the resumption of certain por- 
tions of land situate in the parish of Newcastle and county 
of Northumberland, for the purpose of enabling the Govern- 
ment to arrest as far as possible the further deposit of sand 
thereon, and to reclaim for public purposes and dispose of 
the said lands as hereinafter provided.”’ 
