English: Cartoon of meteorologist, Clement Wragge, 1906

Caption on cartoon: Arrangements are now being made by the Minister for Home Affairs to give effect to the Act recently passed to establish a Federal Meteorological Bureau. All things being equal, preference will, however, naturally be given to an applicant for the post of Commonwealth Meteorologist who is already resident in Australia. - News par. Clement (musing): I'm on the spot, anyhow; and surely my marvellous meteorological researches in the atmospheric cumulii in Queensland, my unparalleled rhodomontadii in the Australian press, my poetic lucubrations in weather reports, and my portentous prophecies in regard to the precarious precipitation of moisture - surely these can no longer go unrecognised?.

Clement Wragge, on the 26th September 1902, arranged for six Stiger Vortex guns to be fired into the clouds above Charleville in the hope of breaking the drought. When informed of the failure of the experiment Wragge was in no doubt who was to blame. 'I could not manage to stay at Charleville until a favourable opportunity of making the experiments occurred' he explained, 'and, of course, if the Charleville people will not carry out my instructions, I cannot help it'. (Information taken from Brisbane Courier, 29 September 1902, p.5).