ARTESIAN WATER PROBLEM. 
3. Fossil water probably soaked into the beds at an earlier geological period. 
4, Plutonie water, which rises from tle interior. of the earth. : : 
That author says he cannot satisfactorily determine the percentage of plutonic 
water, but thinks that Mr. Symmonds” percentage* of 80 is too high. He thinks 
_the bulk of the water is water of cisternage, but that the energy of the plutonic 
water is probably more important than its quantity. 
It is thus seen that the chief advocate of the plutonic hypothesis still con- 
siders that he retains his ground, and there are in Australia several adherents. 
The real point to be ascertained is how long will the water last? To answer 
that a great deal of work is necessary in thoroughly geologically surveying the 
intake beds, in gauging the rivers flowing over these beds, and in various physical 
and chemical investigations. 4 
_ The proper compensation to be paid for bores on areas resumed by the Crown 
is a matter that rests on the solution of this water problem, and may be cited 
as a matter which frequently arises, and at present cannot be properly settled. 
EULOLO BORE, No. 2, QUEENSLAND, BEING MEASURED FOR FLOW. 
In December, 1914, this bore had a daily flow of 407,000 gallons. 
The failure of a bore to flow naturally after a number of flowing years does 
not mean that the bore has lost all its value, as large quantities of water may 
still be obtained by means of pumping or by an air-lift. 
It is improbable that artesian water will ever be used to any appreciable 
extent for irrigation, and its great value is for pastoral purposes. 
As the records; show that the aggregate flow is diminishing at a rather 
alarming rate, the effect on pastoral industry in the future is easily imagined. 
The cause of the diminution must be clearly ascertained, and any possible 
remedy that is of value should be adopted. The permanent Board appointed as 
a result of the first Inter-State Conference has not met since 1914, and mean- 
while the decrease of flow goes on. The urgency of the matter must be appre- 
ciated, and all possible steps taken to deal with the problem. 
*“Our Artesian Waters,” Government Printer, Sydney, 1912. 
Bot EDO: Second Inter-State Conference on Artesian Water, Brisbane, 1914, 
pp. xiii-xv. 
The illustrations accompanying this article were prepared from a map and 
photographs very kindly supplied by Mr. John Hargreaves, the Hydraulic 
Engineer for Queensland. . 
C.2001.—5 49. 
