IRRIGATION IN AUSTRALIA.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXII, Issue 12463, 14 May 1908, Page 5

IRRIGATION IN AUSTRALIA.

Paper Read at the Coionial Institute.

Press Association.— Telegraph.— Copyright.

Received May 14, 10.5 a.m.

LONDON, May 13.

Mr Coghlan read a paper at J;he Colonial Institute on the possibilities and prospects of irrigation in Australia. It was insisted that with the development of irrigation, and settlement will come the salvation of the pastoralists. Mr Coghlan described the schemes in progress for water storage, and claimed that irrigation works immediately doubled — sometimes quadrupled — the value of irrigable land. Even if the six systems projected cost ,£7,100,000, that was a very moderate outlay compared to the advantages reaped.

Mr Carruthers, late Premier of New South Wales, said the Australians recognised that they would never have a large population without overcoming the natural disadvantages by large waterworks and storage. This really was an insurance against disaster to great industries ; it also aided the creation of other industries. He emphasised glowingly the prosperous condition of New South Wales finance, and anticipated that, with a surplus of ,£2,000,000 this year, they would be able to finance their own great water schemes.

The Earl of Jersey (chairman) said that irrigation in properly chosen places must prove in the long run as useful and beneficial to Australia as in India and Egypt. His experience at Mildura, he remarked, justified his belief that irrigation on a large scale would prove equally satisfactory.

A Victorian Scheme

MELBOURNE, May 14.

The State Government is considering a scheme to irrigate 850,000 acres at a cost of five millions, to enable the settlement of au additional half million people.