The Irrigation Record was a fortnightly newspaper published in Leeton, New South Wales, Australia from 15 February 1913 to 15 June 1917 by the NSW Water Conservation and Irrigation Commission.[1] Its purpose was to educate new settlers of the fledgling Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area (MIA), about agricultural methods, irrigation techniques, crops, stock and machinery.[2]
History edit
The first issue of the Irrigation Record for the dissemination of practical information among the farmers of the irrigation areas, has a significance of unusual interest to this State. It marks an epoch in the producing power of the country. It is an evidence that a large territory of highly fertile land is being rescued for the agriculturist and orchardist from the uncertainty of production always associated with a dependence on the ordinary rainfall.
J G Youll, editor of Irrigation Record, in the first issue of the newspaper on 15 February 1913[2]
Leeton was the first town to be planned under the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area scheme.[3] The Irrigation Record commenced publication in 1913 and its stated aim was to educate the local residents about irrigation and farming.[2]
Articles covered developments in the area such as the establishment of the town including churches,[4] schools,[5] police stations[6] and the agricultural industry.[7] The editor of the Irrigation Record was Mr J G (John Gibson) Youll, later a Councillor of the Shire of Wade. Feature articles by Walter Burley Griffin about the planning of Leeton and Griffith were published in May and June 1915.[8][9]
The last issue of the Irrigation Record was published on 15 June 1917. The economic constraints of World War I were cited in the penultimate edition as one reason for its closure, along with the belief that the journal had served its purpose to educate new settlers.[10]
Availability edit
The Irrigation Record was microfilmed by W. & F. Pascoe onto 1 reel of 35mm microfilm. The microfilm can be viewed at the State Library of New South Wales,[1] and the National Library of Australia.[11]
The project to digitise the Irrigation Record 1913–1917 was jointly funded by Griffith City Council, McWilliam's Wines and Murrumbidgee Irrigation Limited.[12] The newspaper is part of the Australian Newspapers Digitisation Program of the National Library of Australia.[13][14]
See also edit
- List of newspapers in Australia
- List of newspapers in New South Wales
- The Murrumbidgee Irrigator – newspaper published in Leeton from 1915 onwards
References edit
- ^ a b "Irrigation Record". State Library of NSW catalogue. Retrieved 26 June 2013.
- ^ a b c "Irrigation Record". Irrigation Record. Leeton, NSW: National Library of Australia. 15 February 1913. p. 1. Retrieved 26 June 2013.
- ^ "Our history". Leeton Shire Council. Retrieved 26 June 2013.
- ^ "Laying Foundation Stone Anglican Church". Irrigation Record. Leeton, NSW: National Library of Australia. 2 June 1913. p. 13. Retrieved 26 June 2013.
- ^ "MIRROOL SCHOOL". Irrigation Record. Leeton, NSW: National Library of Australia. 1 July 1915. p. 13. Retrieved 26 June 2013.
- ^ "A POLICE COURT AT LEETON". Irrigation Record. Leeton, NSW: National Library of Australia. 2 August 1915. p. 3. Retrieved 26 June 2013.
- ^ "Instructional Notes". Irrigation Record. Leeton, NSW: National Library of Australia. 3 January 1916. p. 4. Retrieved 26 June 2013.
- ^ "The Town Plan of Leeton". Irrigation Record. Leeton, NSW: National Library of Australia. 1 May 1915. p. 1. Retrieved 26 June 2013.
- ^ "The City Plan of Griffith". Irrigation Record. Leeton, NSW: National Library of Australia. 1 June 1915. p. 1. Retrieved 26 June 2013.
- ^ ""Irrigation Record"". Irrigation Record. Leeton, NSW: National Library of Australia. 1 June 1917. p. 4. Retrieved 26 June 2013.
- ^ "Irrigation record [microform]". W. & F. Pascoe. 1989.
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires|journal=(help) - ^ "Minutes of the Griffith Library Support Management Committee on 18 June 2012 (pdf)". Griffith Library Support Management Committee. Griffith City Council. 18 June 2012. Retrieved 26 June 2013.
- ^ "Newspaper Titles". Trove. National Library of Australia. Retrieved 26 June 2013.
- ^ "Newspaper Digitisation Program". Trove. National Library of Australia. Archived from the original on 2 July 2015. Retrieved 26 June 2013.