Slike strani
PDF
ePub

Much has been done in the way of artesian boring by private enterprise. As far as can be ascertained, 166 private bores have been undertaken in New South Wales, of which 16 were failures, 2 were abandoned, and 4 are in progress. Amongst the most important are two wells on Lissington Holding, one at Cuttabulla (Lila Springs), one at Toulby, and one at Goondabluie.

The average depth of the 103 wells completed by the Government is 1,724 feet 8 inches, with a range from 165 to 4,086 feet, while the temperature of the water varies from 80 to 139 degrees Fah. The total cost of the wells (including actual boring, casing, carriage, and incidental expenses) was £345,916, or an average of £2,906 17s. 1d. per bore, or £1 13s. 8d. per foot.

In Queensland up to the 30th June, 1903, there were 960 completed bores, of which 70 were Government, 32 Local Government, and 858 private bores. Since that date little information has been compiled by the Queensland authorities regarding artesian wells. It is known, however, that subsequent to the time mentioned one additional Government bore has been completed, the depth being 2,361 feet and the flow 954,462 gallons per diem; also, that three other Government bores are in progress.

Of the Government bores, 26 are artesian, 18 sub-artesian, and 27 were abandoned as failures. The daily flow of water from the successful bores amounts to 11,782,800 gallons. The Local Government bores included 11 artesian and 19 sub-artesian, while 2 were abandoned. From the successful bores a daily flow of 6,346,300 gallons is obtained. Of the private bores, 540 were artesian, 174 were sub-artesian, and 135 were failures or uncertain. It is estimated that the daily flow of water from private bores amounts to no less than 368,331,200 gallons. The large proportion of abandoned Government bores is due to the fact that many of them were sunk for experimental purposes in order to ascertain the prospects of obtaining artesian water. Others were put down by the old methods of boring, by which depths over 1,000 feet could not be penetrated in the swelling clays of Queensland. The total expenditure by the Government up to the 30th June, 1903, amounted to £368,629 on water conservation, of which £124,039 was expended on artesian bores. The deepest Government bore is at Winton, and reaches 4,010 feet, while the most copious supply, namely, 3,000,000 gallons per day, is obtained at the Charleville bore. The deepest private bore, and also the deepest bore in the state, is the Whitewood on the Bimerah run, and reaches 5,045 feet. The largest supplies are obtained from the Longlands bore, which yields 6,000,000 gallons daily; Corio-Cunnamulla East, 4,500,000; Burrambilla and Gooia, Cunnamulla West, 4,000,000; Boatman, 3,500,000; and Savannah Downs yielding 3,400,000 gallons daily. The total depth bored in search of artesian water up to 30th June, 1903, was 1,171,461 feet, the average depth per bore being 1,220 feet. At Helidon water of so low a temperature as 60 degrees Fah. was flowing; while at Elderslie No. 2 the water had a

temperature of 202 degrees. Extensive areas are served by the water from the bores for irrigation purposes; in 1903 there were 14,786 acres irrigated, as compared with 6,526 acres in 1901. In addition several stations, which did not furnish returns, also used the water for purposes of irrigation. Some of the bore waters contain soda in various forms, and these it is impossible to use, except for a limited period, and in small quantities. Of the 14,786 acres irrigated, 3,952 acres or 27 per cent. are served with water from artesian bores; 2,760 acres being irrigated with artesian water at Cunnamulla.

At the end of 1903 the Water Conservation Department of South Australia had completed 107 bores, of which, however, only fifty were successful. These are spread over widely-distant parts of the territory, successful bores existing at Nullarbor Plains, on the boundary of Western Australia; at Oodnadatta, the present terminus of the Northern Railway system; and at Tintinara, in the south-eastern extremity of the state. The bore at Tintinara has proved that the marine tertiary area is water-bearing. The south-western portion of

the great artesian basin lies under the north-east corner of South | Australia proper, and a portion of it is under the south-eastern corner of the Northern Territory. This portion of the basin covers an area of 120,000 square miles, and towards its southern and western fringe occur the well-known mound springs, naturally indicating the existence of artesian water. Of the Government borings in this basin, there are eight flowing artesian wells under 1,000 feet in depth, ten from 1,000 to 3,000 feet, three between 3,000 and 4,000 feet, and one from 4,000 to 5,000 feet. It will therefore be seen that the South Australian Government has had considerable difficulties to overcome in prosecuting the work of opening up these sources of national wealth. The sea basin, which at one time existed within what is now South Australia, was of great depth, and many of the bores pierced through a thickness of strata varying from three-quarters of a mile to nearly a mile before striking the artesian water. The daily flow from the bores ranges from 4,000 to 1,200,000 gallons. The quality of the water varies considerably. Most of the bores furnish excellent drinking water, but towards the fringe of the basin, where there is little or no circulation, the supply is too salt for domestic use, and is only fit for cattle. The average increase in the temperature of the water has been found to be 1 degree Fah. to every 27 feet in depth. From certain of

the deep borings, the water flows over the surface at a temperature of about 200 degrees Fah. Some very successful bores have also been put down on pastoral holdings. In some other parts of South Australia there are comparatively small local artesian basins from which good supplies have been obtained. Four successful bores have been put down in these districts by the Government, and the artesian areas have also been tapped by private persons. The depth of the private bores, however, is seldom over 200 feet. In parts of the state, where flowing supplies are not obtainable, the Government has for

many years carried on boring operations, and in a fair number of cases sub-artesian water has been struck.

The results from Government bores up to 31st December, 1903, are as follows:

[blocks in formation]

In addition to these, two deep borings are in progress. The total expenditure by the Government on boring has been £271,441, of which £11,190 was expended during the year 1903.

The Government of Western Australia, following the example set by those of the eastern states has sunk 30 bores in various parts of the state, and 14 bores have been sunk by private owners. Of the Government bores, 25 have been successful, and yield a daily supply of 8,469,000 gallons, and 5 were failures. All the private bores yield supplies of water with the exception of two--the daily flow being 2,414,000 gallons. The deepest flowing bore is at Carnarvon, and reached a depth of 3,011 feet; while the largest supply is obtained from the municipal bore at Guildford, and amounts to 1,120,000 gallons daily. Up to the 31st December, 1903, the Government had expended £55,835 on artesian boring, while £9,819 had been spent by private owners. Amongst the most important bores completed during 1903 was the No. 1 bore, at Eyre. This is one of a series of bores put down for the purpose of ascertaining whether a supply of artesian water would be available for the suggested Trans-continental Railway. It has resulted in a flow of 31,000 gallons of stock water per day at a depth of 2,101 feet.

The total expenditure on water supply has amounted to £3,383,795, included in which is a sum of £2,672,165 for the Coolgardie Water Supply scheme.

In Victoria the attempts to obtain water by means of artesian boring have not been successful. Up to the 30th June, 1904, 46 bores had been sunk, 16 of which were driven to bed-rock, but none yielded artesian supplies. The expenditure on these bores amounted to £68,864, and the cost of water conservation, including Government expenditure on Melbourne Water Supply, was £8,803,314.

EMPLOYMENT IN AGRICULTURAL PURSUITS.

The following table shows the number of persons engaged in agricultural pursuits in Australasia during the years 1891 and 1901. The figures relate to the direct producers who were employed on holdings at the end of March in each year, and are exclusive of persons engaged in

the manufacture of raw materials, as well as of casual hands who may have been employed at other periods of the year than that stated.

[blocks in formation]

A classification of the returns for 1901 according as the persons employed in agricultural pursuits were engaged therein as proprietors and managers, relatives assisting, or servants, is given below for all the states except Queensland, where the information has not been published.

[blocks in formation]

With regard to Victoria it appears that females engaged in domestic duties, who also gave some assistance in farming, were classified as relatives assisting in agricultural pursuits, whereas, in other states, these were included in the category of dependents performing domestic duties. In proportion to population the persons engaged in agricultural pursuits numbered 8.9 per cent. in 1891, compared with 7.6 in 1901. The decrease in the latter year is accounted for partly by the rapid extension of the dairying industry which has absorbed many of those formerly engaged in agriculture, and partly by the increased cultivation of wheat, which does not require such a large proportion of labour as other miscellaneous crops.

PASTORAL RESOURCES AND DAIRY
INDUSTRY.

NOTWITHSTANDING the fact that the soil, climate, and indi

genous herbage of Australasia are admirably adapted to the sustenance of animal life, no attempt was made to test the capabilities of the land as a feeding-ground for flocks and herds on a large scale until the example of Captain Macarthur had demonstrated beyond doubt that Nature favoured the production in Australasia of a quality of wool which was unsurpassed by that grown in any part of the world. Then the settlers began to understand and utilise the natural resources of the country; and as the indomitable spirit of exploration gradually opened up the apparently boundless plains of the interior, pastoralists extended their domain, and sheep and cattle in increasing numbers spread over the face of eastern Australia. At the present time the pastoral industry has attained such dimensions that its products constitute the chief element in the wealth of Australia. Since 1851 the export of wool from Australia has reached the enormous sum of £610,000,000 sterling, or over £230,000,000 in excess of the value of the gold produced during the same period. More extended reference to the value of production from the pastoral industry will be found in succeeding pages.

The beginnings of pastoral enterprise in Australia were very humble. The live stock of the community which accompanied Captain Phillip comprised only 1 bull, 4 cows, 1 calf, 1 stallion, 3 mares, 3 foals, 29 sheep, 12 pigs, and a few goats; and although the whole of the present flocks and herds of Australasia have not sprung from these animals alone, yet the figures show the small scale on which the business of stock-raising was first attempted. No systematic record of the arrival of stock seems to have been kept in the early days of settlement; but it would appear that during the period between Governor Phillip's landing and the year 1800 there were some slight importations, chiefly of sheep from India. In 1800 the stock in Australasia comprised 6,124 sheep, 1,044 cattle, 203 horses, and 4,017 swine; while at the end of the year 1901, there were no less than 92,358,824 sheep, 9,827,433 cattle, 1,905,172 horses, and 1,171,381 swine.

« PrejšnjaNaprej »