R. T. McKAY. CXCVII. 
that not only the volume lost by evaporation should be 
made good, but also a sufficient volume should be sent 
down the river channel to maintain a navigable depth, and 
keep the lakes in a state of freshness. 
The proposals made to provide a navigable entrance at 
the Murray mouth, the construction of a barrage to exclude 
the salt water from the lakes, and the proposals for the 
construction of a navigable canal from Goolwa to Port 
Victor were adverted to. The navigation of the river is 
of a very intermittent character, and of late years there 
has been a marked diminution in the volume of trade enter- 
ing South Australia. This is due to the fact that owing 
to the drought the rivers have remained unnavigable for 
long periods, also to the extension of railways. The differ- 
ential railway rates of New South Wales, Victoria, and 
even South Australia, have had a marked effect on the 
river-borne traffic. At the present time the three States 
compete by great reductions in the freight of river-grown 
products. It was pointed out that wool grown on the 
Darling and conveyed by steamer to Echuca, is then carried 
to Melbourne by rail for 2s. 3d. per bale, whereas the 
charge to the settlers in the neighbourhood of Kchuca is 
6s. 6d. per bale. The charge for carrying sugar from 
Melbourne, if consigned to the Darling country, is only 11s. 
per ton, whereas the storekeeper in Hchuca has to pay 
freight at the rate of 50s. for the same class of goods. The 
same thing applies to the South Australian railways, and 
upper river goods sent from Morgan and Murray Bridge 
are conveyed to Adelaide at a great reduction compared 
with local-grown products. 
Dealing with the question of irrigation, the works con- 
structed in Victoria on the Goulburn, Campaspe, Loddon, 
Wimmera, and Avoca rivers were described. The activity 
displayed by our Victorian friends in connection with the 
