The drive to the rendezvous was unpleasantly warm, as, being in the middle of the day, the sun was at its hottest. This slight drawback prevented the visitors from sufficiently admiring the remarkably pretty scenery which is passed along the route. But coming back in the cool of the evening there was an ample time given to those who cared to give their attention to the scenery, and the general impression was that there is nothing in the neighbourhood of Perth which affords more beautiful glimpses or a more charming variety then this combination of hill rock wood and water which lie between the few miles that intervene between the race course and the site of the waterworks.

Among those who were present by invitation were the Hon. John Forrest, Sir Thomas Campbell, Bart., Hon. O. Burt, Acting Colonial Secretary, Messers. E. Scott, (Mayor), T. Poole, Director Of Public Works, Hon. C. T. Mason, Commissioner of Railways, Messers. G. W. Leake, H. England, Manager of the National Bank, J. Pitcher, Manager of the Commercial Bank, r. Sholl, M.L.A., W. L. Owen, resident engineer of Midland Railway, H. J. Saunders, McFie, J. W. Hackett, E. Keane, W. Thwaites, W. E. Marmion, M.L.A., G. Leake, M.L.A., and the Hon. J. A. Wright,  consulting engineer to the W.A. Government. Mr. B. H. Woodward also accompanied the party for the purpose of obtaining samples of the water for analysis.

On arriving at their destination the party were shown over the works, which, since we last visited them, have undergone some important changes. Over fifty acres of ground has been cleared and to bywashes have been taken out on either side of the impounding, the ground extending on either side for considerably over one mile in length. A very substantial wier has been constructed at the eastern end of the impounding ground. The foundation for the concrete wall have been taken out to a depth of from 25 to 30 feet, and it is expected that the work will be completed in about a fortnight or three weeks. When the wall is constructed before have a base of 50 feet at the bottom and the height of about 60 feet, finishing of at 3 feet 6 inches wide. A tunnel for the carrying of the main for scour has been completed and the earth taken out of the foundation has been thrown over the tunnel in the form of a bank.

The visitors were also shown a diamond drill working by compressed air. This drill, worked by two men, is able to do ten times as much work in eight hours as 32 men would do with the ordinary hammer and drill. One of Hall’s stone crushers was also to be seen worked by a six horse power engine.  The machine is capable of crushing, to the 2 ½ inch gauge in 10 hours, 69 yards of granite or green stone.

Mr. McNeil expects to have upwards of 60 men at work concreting, in the course of a month.  The twelve inch main has been laid from the brick pressure tank about one mile and a quarter from the impounding reservoir, to the foot of the hills, a distance of over 3 miles, and also from the foot of the hills about 2 miles along the tramway towards the Canning. It is also laid from within half a mile of Cockram's Hotel to the Perth Causeway, and from the Perth Causeway to the service reservoir on Mount Eliza.

An eight inch service main has been laid down from the service reservoir to Wellington-street.  The service reservoir is now in an advanced stage of completion, and the four walls are now up to water level.  The size of the service reservoir is 200 ft. by 30 by 18, and it will contain something like 700,000 gallons of water.  The impounding reservoir, when completed, will contain upwards of 250,000,000 gallons of water, which will be sufficient to supply a population of over 35,000 inhabitants.  All the pipes for the completion of the works have now been landed, and the work of reticulation will be carried on without delay, the last shipment of small pipes having arrived by the River Thames.

At luncheon Mr. Neil McNeil took the chair, and the company gathered round the board which was abundantly supplied by the caterer, Mr Stewart of the Governor Broome Hotel. When the demands of an appetite rendered keen by the mountain air had been satisfied, Mr Neil McNeil, after the usual loyal toasts had been duly honoured, proposed the health of Mr Thwaites. He said he must congratulate all of those who were present, on the fact that they had at last surmounted most of the troubles in connection with the scheme.

Mr W Thwaites, the engineer of the Melbourne water supply department, had come to inspect and give his opinion on their works. It had been originally intended that Mr Davidson, the chief engineer of the Melbourne water supply department, should be present on this occasion, but unfortunately this could not be. He was, however, glad to tell them that Mr. Thwaites had expressed himself perfectly satisfied with what he had seen that day. With regard to the time that had been occupied in the work, though they could have wished that the works were in a more advanced stage at the time of this visit, the construction would not occupy their attention for very much longer, and it was hoped that in a very few months they would be able to send water to the city of Perth.

When the supply commenced the people in the city would have water not only for domestic purposes but also for the use of their gardens by means of a water rate. They would be able to supply water of any quantity for the cultivation of fruits and vegetables, land [missing text] … observed there was a partial famine of these necessaries in Perth, the innovation should prove the greatest boon to the people. The whole scheme had been most carefully gone into, and he believed that the terms on which it was being carried out, would prove equally beneficial to both the promoters and the public of Perth.

Mr. THWAITES replied in suitable terms, and assured the company that he believed they had an admirable scheme, and one which would give perfect satisfaction in the one he had come to inspect.

Mr. McNEIL proposed the health of the Hon. John Forrest, who duly replied.

The MAYOR of Perth, who sat on the left hand side of the chairman, proposed the health of Mr. Neil McNeil. He thought they could have no doubt that what Mr. McNeil undertook to do he would carry out successfully. The work of carrying this measure through had been entrusted to him and they might attribute to him the success of the enterprise. They had known Mr. McNeil a long time, in fact they had known him so long that they had come to repose unlimited confidence in him, and they believed the work being done by him would bear investigation in any part, and that the supply of water to the city of Perth would, in a very short time, be an accomplished fact. He had no doubt that immediately after the present summer the water would be forthcoming.

Mr. McNEIL, in reply, expressed his thanks for the honour done him, and said that the works that were being carried out had had the full approval of the Hon. J. A. Wright, the past Director of Public Works in this colony. It was known that they had had to extend the dimensions of the original water supply. That was for the benefit of the city, as it would give them a supply of one hundred million more gallons of water. He hoped that the next time the company came up to visit the reservoir they would find the dam full.

In reply to the toast to the visitors, Mr. MCFIE said that that [sic] his acquaintance with West Australia was not of yesterday, although this was his first visit to the colony. He, however, became early acquainted with the brilliant prospects of the colony in his position as editor of the Melbourne Leader. As the colony was opening up, they must soon see a stream of people pouring into the country.  Not only the other colonies, but Europe and America were willing to contribute to that stream.

The company then rose.  It may be mentioned that the vehicles, which were well horsed, were mostly supplied by Mr. A. Clerk, of Perth.