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Series 10: Irrigation, c.1884-1949 (bulk 1885-1917)

Deakin's first ministerial appointment as Commissioner for Public Works and Water Supply sparked a lifelong interest in irrigation. He was responsible for the important Irrigation Act of 1886. In 1885 he studied irrigation in the United States, which led to a visit to Victoria by the two successful irrigationists, George and William Chaffey, and the inauguration of the Mildura irrigation settlement. Deakin also reported on irrigation in Egypt and Italy, which he studied during his visit to Europe in 1887, and The Age sponsored his trip to investigate irrigation schemes in India in 1890 to 1891.
The series contains correspondence of a general nature on irrigation, as well as letters discussing problems at Mildura and the publication of Deakin's books on irrigation. The correspondents include George Chaffey, T.F. Knowles, Lord Knutsford, J.H. McColl, Philip Mennell, Stuart Murray, F.H. Newell, R.C. Nicolls, Sir Colin Scott-Moncrieff, George Swinburne, David Syme, Baron Ferdinand von Mueller and Professor Robert Wallace. There are also notes, notebooks, a briefcase, memoranda, parliamentary papers, press clippings and other printed material.
Deakin's travel letters describing his experiences in California, Italy and Egypt and his 1890 diary with notes on India can be found in Series 2.
This series contains Items 10/1 - 10/373. The bulk of the items in this series have been digitised, and are available online through this finding aid. Please note that where printed items were duplicated within the series, the duplicates have not been digitised.

 

Subseries 10.1 Correspondence, 1885-1917
Concerning the visit of George and William Chaffey, irrigation at Mildura, Deakin's writings on irrigation and other matters. The correspondents include George Chaffey, T.F. Knowles, Lord Knutsford, J.H. McColl, Philip Mennell, Stuart Murray, F.H. Newell, R.C. Nicolls, Sir Colin Scott-Moncrieff, George Swinburne, David Syme, Baron Ferdinand von Mueller and Professor Robert Wallace. This subseries contains Items 10/1 - 10/101.
Subseries 10.2 Visit to the United States, 1885
Notebook, notes, souvenirs and press clippings concerning Deakin's 1885 visit to California, Mexico and Ontario to study various irrigation schemes. Deakin's account of the visit, Irrigation in Western America, so far as it has relation to the circumstances in Victoria, was published in 1885. A copy of this work is held in Subseries 10.8. This subseries contains Items 10/102 - 10/111.
Subseries 10.3 Agreement between the Chaffey brothers and the Victorian Government, 1886-1888
Agreement, licence and related parliamentary papers. George and William Chaffey were involved in the establishment of the Mildura irrigation settlement. This subseries contains Items 10/112 - 10/126.
Subseries 10.4 Notes, parliamentary papers and other documents, c.1884-1900
Notes by Deakin on Mildura, typescript notes on Deakin's irrigation work, Deakin's article 'Irrigation in Australia' (n.d.), typescript extracts from Hansard on irrigation, several papers relating to the Draft Bill on Riparian Rights (1890), a proposal for a weir on the Yarra River (1889), material on the Diamond Hill Water Supply, various documents on the financing of irrigation trusts and Deakin's speech on the 1886 Irrigation Bill. This subseries contains Items 10/127 - 10/271.
Subseries 10.5 Visit to India, 1890-1891
Notebooks (2), press clippings and a map from Deakin's visit to Ceylon and India in 1890-1891. The visit was sponsored by The Age. Deakin's account of irrigation in the region, Irrigated India, an Australian view of India and Ceylon : their irrigation and agriculture, was published in 1893. A copy of this work is held in Subseries 10.8. This subseries contains Items 10/272 - 10/276.
Subseries 10.6 Commonwealth-State Royal Commission on Water Supply, 1901-1902
Memoranda and printed material relating to the use of the Murray River for water supply and irrigation, together with a briefcase supplied for Deakin by the Commission. This subseries contains Items 10/277 - 10/329, 10/373.
Subseries 10.7 Press clippings, c.1891-1949
Concerning various irrigation schemes, Deakin's activities as Commissioner and related matters. This subseries contains Items 10/330 - 10/350.
Subseries 10.8 Printed material, 1885-1915
Pamphlets, articles and other printed material, including Deakin's works Irrigation in Western America, so far as it has relation to the circumstances in Victoria (1885), Irrigation in Egypt and Italy (1887), Irrigated India, an Australian view of India and Ceylon : their irrigation and agriculture (1893) and 'Irrigation in Australia' (n.d.), together with Californian notes, a report made to the Hon F. Hagelthorn on immigration, irrigation, fruit growing and trade (1915) by Frank Clarke, The Nile of Australia, nature's gateway to the interior, a plea for the greater utilization of the Murray and its tributaries (1906) by David J. Gordon, 'The flowing wells of central Australia' (1911) by Professor J.W. Gregory, Progress report on irrigation in the United States, part 1 (1891) by Richard J. Hinton, Proceedings of the First Conference of Irrigationists held in Melbourne 25th, 26th and 28th March 1890 (1890), The Murray River, irrigation and navigation (1903) by Robert T. McKay, Lecture on irrigation canals in Bengal (1893) by C.W. Olding and The great Australian artesian basin and the source of its water (1914) by E. F. Pittman. This subseries contains Items 10/351 - 10/372.
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