GROWING RICE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 75, Issue 178, 30 July 1932, Page 9

GROWING RICE

EX-SOLDIERS IN N.S.W. WUITICIENT FOR AUSTRALIA. UNIQUE WHITE INDUSTRY. “It is not generally known that Australia is now producing all the rice for her own needs and something over,’’ said Mr. A. W. Press, a member of the Hutt Valley Power Board, who returned from a visit to .Australia this week. “Whilst I was in Australia.” said Air. Press, ’’l paid a visit to that rather interesting country in the valley of the Murrumbidgee River, which has been made extraordinarily productive by an extensive irrigation scheme. The country I refer to is on the western line between the towns of Griffith and Leeton, 400 miles away from Sydney. There is being produced a high quality rice, which has already made Australia independent of the East. Wo are now importing it into New Zealand, and as development goes on, there promises to bo plenty for export. “This development is rather unique, as it is the only instance on record in the world whoro rice in any groat quantity haa been grown by white labour. In thia case the labour concerned is that of returned soldiers, who have been ■settled on these blocks of irrigated land by tho Government of New South Wales. Tho rice is shipped away ’undressed’ to Sydney Or Melbourne, and is there cleaned and dressed for market. As rice has to be grown practically under water, it illustrates in a rather remarkable manner tho extent of the scheme of trapping the waters of the Murrumbidgce for irrigation purposes.

“In the same district raisins and other dried fruits are being produced in considerable quantities, so that a few years ago was not a very promising country lias been converted into a very productive one, with enormous possibilities.”