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BRtSBAN 
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grounds and reservoirs should be reserved from alienation in the 
case of Crown lands, or repurchased in the case of alienated 
lands before the value is enhanced by further improvement. 
At present the alienated lands which will be required are 
scarcely occupied or improved even by fencing, but in a few 
years the clearing of scrub, and cultivation of portions of the 
land, will increase the cost of purchase to three or four times 
what it could now be bought for. 
Mr. D. 0. McCoknel : As discussion .or remarks in 
writing on the very important question of Brisbane Water 
Supply are asked, I take the liberty of reading this. No 
doubt, on such an important subject, every point of view 
should be examined. Having lived for very many years, 
since 1840, on the Upper Brisbane River, I recommend 
that the hottest part of summer should pass over, and the water 
collected from that river by the New Waterworks in Ipswich 
be well examined microscopically and chemically. I know that 
half way, or to its source about 60 miles from Ipswich, in 
summer the water is hot, impregnated with decaying vegetable 
and animal matter and infusoria — in fact, a strong decoction of 
dead prawns, &e., particularly in dry weather. About half way 
it is purer, but even 30 miles from the source the taste is dis- 
agreeable enough, barely fit to drink unless allowed to stand for 
a time, or be boiled and then cooled. The hotter and drier the 
season, the more disgusting is that decoction. It is probable 
that in every feeder there is some dead animal. I am pretty 
sure this will be very distinctly noticeable in the water obtained 
from that river in Ipswich, from December to March, unless 
heavy rain come. Although I dwell on this rather strongly, still 
I think there may be some remedies to which I shall soon advert, 
and the large volume of better water than the present Enoggera 
Reservoir supplies is a very important consideration. 
I quite agree with Mr. Gregory that there* is not the 
slightest chance of any success in boring for artesian wells, 
particularly on the north side of the Brisbane River, as the rocks 
are primary, Devonian, and lower carboniferous. On the south 
side, beyond Goodna, there might be a chance among the sand- 
stone strata, for water, but probably not enough for a large 
water supply: rocks are often interrupted by basalt. The North 
Pine and Caboolture sandstone is only a small and uncertain 
basin, and a long way off ; so I agree with Mr. Gregory that 
artesian wells are out of the question. I can easily get water 
here, and have sunk three large wells down to the bed rock, 
about 15 feet to 18 feet deep. The water is most abundant, and 
about three or four feet from the surface, but not fit for human 
