IRRIGATION.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 10712, 16 October 1912, Page 3

IRRIGATION.

i New South Wale's is at present engaged in the.construction• of a; great dam across the Murrumbidgee River. Tnins river, which' is fed by the melting shows and rains from the Austial- j ian Alps, has a course of about 600 j miles in the State of New South I Wales, and joins the Murray Iliver j about 150 miles above Mildura. I:i j the mountainous country -of the upper j part of its course it has cut its way through some lovely valleys and deep gorges. Across one of these gorges, and opposite the Burrinjuek Mountain, there is being constructed an immense dam for the purpose of impounding the flood waters coining down the river at the snow melting season, from a catchment are a of no less than 5000 square miles. When the /dam is. completed, and the water has reached the required level, the/ valley cf Goodradigbee, which is one I of the most beautiful regions in New ' South Wales, will .be inundated to tHe extent of about twenty square miles, making a lake about forty-six mile»3 long, with a maximum depth of, 224 feet; and having an expected capacity of cubic feet, or .about twice the volume of water con- I tained in Sydney Harbour. This comparison will convey to. the reader, some idea of the immensity of the storage iwliich is being provided as an assurance for all time to intending settlers that there will never bo any shortage of water in connection wftih the Murrumbidgee irrigation scheme.. A sufficient proportion of water is guaranted to every settler as a permanent right at exceedingly low prices and terms, the rate being based divthobare amount of water needed to meet the extent of the cost or 1 the construction and maintenance of I the supply. The Government looks for no profit except from the'advantage to the country of the presence of the settler and ine development of the land. Dwellings are being erected by. the Government for settlers at cost price, with arrangements for. extended and an irrigation experimental and demonstration farm that is owned and conducted by the Government, lias been in existence for some years on the spot, and the experience gained is available for the incoming farmer, with export advice free. "Thousands of pounds are annually lost in the Dominion," said Mr Young, supervisor of the Government . Veterinary Department, in a lecturo,' to Carterton farmers on Saturday, I while referring to the- treatment calves receive" 'after the'rearing stages. "In most instances," foe said, they are turned into a bare, grassless paddock, and left there to 'eat their heads off' until they attain the age of one year or eighteen months. Later on the farmer wonders why the animal possesses a weak constitution and a big head." Mr Young explained that constitution was Jacking through neglectfulness, and the big head was developed through the animal's mind being continually concentrated on the subject of "how to ; live!" (Loud laughter.) Addressing tbo gathering of farmers' at the. Carterton Showground on Saturday, Mr W. Howard Booth, a member of the local executive of i the Farmers' Union, spoke encouragingly of the support that is being accorded the -project of forming a | branch, in that district, and, in point- j ing out the benefits to ,'be derived : from such an organisation, said that ' when the branch became financially and numerically strong, it would foe their endeavour to arrange periodical visits of instructors to lecture to farmers. He referred to the- interesting and instructive address delivered that- day by .Mr Young, from -which nothing but good would result. . L