PRODUCTION OF SALT

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23944, 11 May 1943, Page 4

PRODUCTION OF SALT

SCHEME COMMENCED AT LAKE GRASSMERE

AREA OF 1200 ACRES ENCLOSED

A scheme for the commercial production of salt is being undertaken at Lake Grassmere. Marlborough, where a large area of the low land normally under water in winter has already been enclosed. The company which has embarked on the project is the Latex Rubber Company, Ltd., which, according to a statement from one of its representatives in Christchurch last evening, has secured a licence giving the company sole manufacturing rights in New Zealand. 1

According to the representative’s statement, tests taken over a period of 20 years have indicated that Lake Grassmere. which is about 30 miles south of Blenheim, offers strong advantages for the particular evaporation process to be employed, the lake bed being dry in parts most of the year, the land being flat, and the high wind and long hours of sunshine being of considerable assistance in the process. A selected area of 1200 acres has already been enclosed with embankments, and this will be subdivided into paddocks of about 50 acres each. The company hopes to start pumping in salt water about September, which would allow full advantage to be taken of the summer. This would allow the first salt to be obtained the following summer. It is also considered that by-ffroducts may offer tremendous possibilities later. About 30 men are at present employed at the lake, and preparatory embanking work has been undertaken with the use of graders and bulldozers. The work undertaken by or for the company for the production of salt and the development and maintenance of facilities for production has now been declared essential.