The Federal Premier in his Element.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 219, 20 September 1904, Page 4

The Federal Premier in his Element.

Mr lleid and Mr lleukin were the principal speakers on water conservation at a recent meeting iu Melbourne under the auspices of the A. N.A. The K'llertil Premier, in the course of Ins speech, waiil Closer settlement is beginning to be one oj tho great necessities in Australia today. Closer settlement can never exist unless the problem of water conservation is dealt with. You may extend settlement over the more tortile and favoured regions of Australia, but in the more arid districts of the interior millions of money have been wasted by the sitrongest capitalists known to Australia ; and what will bi-eak the niilli o nuire is more than tlie poor man can stand. So this problem is one of those troubles which lie nearest to the heart of the great wants of Australia to-day. Everyone, whatever his politics, must desire to make these arkl lauds the scenes of prosperous homes in years to come. If this is to be accomplished, we must pay some regard to the climatic condition's which exist in this continent. That great heat engine above us which pumps up w u ter from the ocean (or man is doing its duty all right during its working hours, but there is something in the heavenly currents which seems to take our fair share ol the l'acilic away from us, to rob us o( that moisture which is required to cause the earth to yield its increase. Our first duty, 1 take lit, is to prevent the copious rains which we do get in the more fortunate localities from running to scandalous waste. 1 know enough about this great question to mi Use that without going -below the earth to secure a larger supply there is staring us in the face the (act that at the present moment there are enormous quantities' of priceless water, which might help thousands of settlers, running away to waste to the Pacific Ocean. We know this is one ol' the most troublesome of-the problems in every country. But it swills' to me that our first effort should be directed to preventing this waste. Then we can divert from the ocean enormous volumes of fresh water to serve the purposes of human industry. 1 am delighted we have on this platform to-nlg,ht a gentleman (Mr Ileakin) who lias studied the question for many years past. A Voice : lie made a mess of it at Mildui'a.

Sir lteid : In this world we havo a lot of men who make a mess of some things. There are others who make a mess of everything. The Voice (angrily) : I will make a a mess of you directly.—(Cries of "Shame.")

Mr Raid ; What I wish ,to aay as the temporary occupant of a position of great responsibility

A Voioe : Very temporally.

Mr Reid : You know, you must agree with me that, seeing the last occupamt lived in a minority of twenty or tliirty for four months, and that I. have a majority of two, I shall h a ve a year at least. Whether my time is Jong or short A Voice : Very short. Mr Reid : Whether, I say, it is long or short The Voice : Very short.

Mr Reid : My friend here with the Yarra bank voice was good enough to Bay—

The Voice : It is not a ves-no voice, at anyrate.

Mr Reid : No, that is true. You are like a mechanical d 0 !l. You say the same thing every time.—(Louil laughter.)