THE MURRAY WATERS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1043, 4 February 1911, Page 5

THE MURRAY WATERS.

IRRIGATION V. NAVIGATION,

At the Inter-Stato conference on the Murray' waters question the discussion largely turned upon the right claimed by 4. j **- us^ra^a , to have enough water Bent down (ho river to maintain lutviga* tion, and the claim by. New South Wales and victoria that tho needs of irrigation must bo paramount in tho use of "tho water. Ui£ South Australian repre.seuta- . tivos asserted a right to water flowing down the Goulburn in Victoria and the Murrutnbidgee in New South Wales into " the Murray, as well as to tho waters of the Murray itself. Further, although in tho past tho river has- never been navigable for more than. seven months in the year, they pressed the claims of navi- . gation to such an extent as to require provision to bo made to ensure the navigability'of tho river the whole year . round. They added a claim for water for irrigation, and indicated that they had ambitious irrigation projects in view. In Bupport of the navigation claim, South Australian Ministers urged that they had in view a scheme for cutting a eannl from the River .-Murray to Victor Harbour. This would cost ,£1)00,000, and with tho harbour improvements the total expenditure involved would be close upon ill ,000,000. Tho New ffouth Wales Ministers stated flatly tliii* tiiey-would not bo limited in any way in the use of the waters of tho Murrumbidgee for the large irrigation schemes involved in the construction of the Barren Jack reservoir, and .tho Victorian Ministers were equally emphatic in asserting that they would accept lio limitation in tho use of tho .wateni of Hie Goulbnrn. South Australia's admission of tli'c importance of irrigation was accepted as aii advance in the right direction, and it was stated that in t«u years' time South Australia would bo .'.s convinced as any other Stale that i. ligation needs vero paramount-, and '.hat, <:s it would be impossible to irrigate anything like all tie irrigable hind available if every drop of water- were i.ssd, tlioro would bo Bo'iiicg in i.paro fev a i ater j traffic which the fcitairion of railways farmers ua eiix.riKv.ntai shipment coir. •4s>g)d every jes;; iWuCi' icss issessavyj