IRRIGATION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXIX, Issue 14683, 14 May 1908, Page 7

IRRIGATION.

POSSIBILITIES IN AUSTRALIA. United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph— Copyright. LONDON, May 13. Mr Coghlan read a paper at tho Colonial Institute on the possibilities and prospects of irrigation iu Australia. He insisted that with the development of irrigation and settlement would come tho salvation of pastoralists. Ho described six schemes in progress for water storage. Ho claimed that irrigation works immediately doubled and sometimes quadrupled the value, of irrigable land. Even if the six systems projected cost seven, million one hundred thousand pounds, that was a very moderate outlay compared with the advantages to be reaped. ,

Mr Carruthcrs, lato Premier of New South Wales?, said that Australians recognised that they would never have a large population without overcoming natural disadvantages by large waterworks storage. This was really an insurance against disaster to great industries, and also aided the creation of other industries. He emphasised the growingly prosperous condition of New South Wales finance, and Raid that he anticipated a surplus of two million this year. New South Wales was able to finance its own great water schemes. Lord Jersey, the chairman, said that irrigation in properly chosen places must, prove in tho long run as useful and beneficial to Australia as it was in. India and Egypt. The experience at Mildura and Ronmark justified the belief that irrigation on a large scale elsewhore -would prove equally satisfactory.