£5,000,000 ISLAND SEA.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 16506, 6 August 1919, Page 3

£5,000,000 ISLAND SEA.

BIG JOB FOR AUSTRALIAN EXSOLDIEKS.

Australia is to have an inland sea costing £5,000,000 and covering 50,000 acres. It will be immediately bolow the junction of the Murray and Mitta Mitta Rovers. In addition to this sheet of water, there will bo nine weirs and locks on the Murray between Bhinchetown and Wentworth, 17 weirs and locks between Wentworth and Echuca, and also weirs and locks near tho junction of tho Murray and Darling Rivers. Tho enterprise had been under consideration for some time, but for long it was blocked by the conflicting opinions of tho authorities of the three States directly interested—New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia. The work will give employment to many returned soldiers, and will take about seven years. Tt will be necessary to submerge some of the richest soil in Australia. This was taken into consideration at tho time tho scheme was under discussion, and it provoked a. good deal of controversy; but it was decided that the sacrifice was worth while in view of tho great benefits tq bo derived by the enormous tract of country that would bo made fertile and prosperous. Sir Joseph Cook, Australian Navy Minister, gave to a representative of tho London Daily Mail details of the giant irrigation scheme in Australia. The work consists of erecting a scries of locks«and dams on tho Murray River that will thus supply huge reservoirs of water for the dry seasons. At a cost of £5,000,000, it will servo nearly 7,000,000 acres of land, and at the most conservative estimate provide settlement for 700,0000 people. At Miidnra, where a similar scheme on a smaller scale is already in operation, tho yearly yield from the land averages £SO an' acre in value, and it it estimated that this now scheme, when fully established, will make tho laud so fertile as to yield produce worth £70,000,000 a year. “This is,” said Bir Joseph, “by far tho biggest scheme of settlement ever undertaken in Australia. Wo arc trying to do exactly tho same as in 'California. Tho land will be devoted to fruit farming and intensive culture. It is already cleared. . It contains some of tho best soil in Australia, and will provide readymade farms for our returning soldiers. Later on there will also bo plenty of room for soldiers from Britain.