Communications and transit > Enquiry on national public works

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Reservoir) and the Rake Victoria Storage. One of these works—viz .we11 and fock
No i at Blanchetown—was under construction by the State of South Australia at the
date the River Murray Waters Act came into force, the foundation stone having been laid
on June 5th, 1915. . , ,,
(a) At the beginning of 1929, eight weirs and locks m the Murray River and the
Lake Victoria Storage had been completed; the Hume Reservoir and weirs and locks
Nos a and 6 were under construction. , , , _
Since that date, the construction of weirs and locks Nos. 7 and 8 were undertaken
and with Nos. 4 and 6 and the Hume Reservoir (to a capacity of 1.250,000 acre-feet of
water) have been completed. . ,
(b) The works at present in course of execution are weir and lock No. 15 and a
roadway over the Hume Dam. . .
(r) A oronosal is nearing completion whereby the construction of the remaining
12 weirs and locks in the Murray River and the 9 weirs and locks m the Murrumbidgee
River will be abandoned and the following works will be put m hand .
1 A diversion weir in the Murray River, at Yarrawonga, to divert water
into New South Wales and Victoria for irrigation, stock and domestic purposes.
Estimated cost of work, including land resumptions, £380,000.
2 Two weirs in the Murrumbidgee River to divert water for the flooding once
a year of about 200,000 acres in New South Wales to improve the growth of pastures.
Estimated cost, £220,000. r ^ ,
3 Barrages in the vicinity of the mouth of the Murray River for the purpose o
nreventins undue salinity in the lower river through the influx of water from the
sea and to assist in keeping the lower river at the height necessary to enable settlers
in that area to irrigate their blocks by gravitation through the embankment sluices.
Estimated cost, £549,000.
II.
The construction of the River Murray works are provided for m an Agreement
;>etween the Governments of the Commonwealth and the States of New South Wales
Victoria and South Australia, which was ratified by Acts passed by the four Parhamen
'^TheAg reement for the creation of a Commission called "The River Murray
Sommission ”, which is charged with the duty of giving effect to the Agreement and the
ratifying ^ functions of the River Murray Commission are, briefly :
Approval of designs and estimates furnished by the respective construction
^^Supervision of works (the order in point of time of particular works, rate of
nroeress method and extent of maintenance of works); ^ . ,
P Finance : Annual estimates of expenditure; calling up of contributions from
the contracting Governments; payments to the three constructing authorities,
receipt and distribution of tolls;
Gauging of the Murray River and its tributaries;
Control over diversions in the three States; . . , ,,
Distribution of stored water in accordance with the provisions of the
Agreement,ption ^ received are to be used towards cost
and the maintenance of navigation works under the Acts).
of lock-keeping