IRRIGATION IN QUEENSLAND

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27591, 23 February 1955, Page 11

IRRIGATION IN QUEENSLAND

WASTELAND BECOMES PRODUCTIVE (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, February 22.” Large-scale irrigation was turning Queensland’s arid wastes into productive cropping country, said Mr T. A. Hiley, of Brisbane, when he arrived at Wellington in the Wanganella. He was accompanied by his wife. Until six months ago Mr Hiley was leader of the Queensland Liberal Party. Mr Hiley has come to New Zealand as guest lecturer at the New Zealand Society of Accountants’ congress to be held at Dunedin in March. “But till then I am going to have a look round your two beautiful islands, and I hope to work in some big game fishing further north.’’ he said. Mr Hiley said that one of the largest new areas being brought into production in Queensland was the area near the Atharton table land. This area was rapidly developing into one of the largest single producing centres in Australia.

“Never before have we enjoyed such a wealth of productivity or such a spread of settlement,’’ he said.

“Tariff rates and concessional rates have been worked out by the Government to protect our products. The Government is right behind Queensland’s development projects.’’ Mr Hiley said that vaster projects were planned. On the Tinaroo and Barron rivers large irrigation schemes were planned, but the Burdekin scheme was the most ambitious. When the waters in the region were harnessed twice as much water as there was in Sydney harbour would be impounded. “I’ll be an old man by the time that scheme comes into operation,’’ he said. “It’s a 20 or 30-year scheme. It may even take a generation.”