Foundation Stone, Lock 1

A GIGANTIC STEP FORWARD: MURRAY LOCKING SCHEME BEGUN

AN HISTORIC CEREMONY AT BLANCHETOWN

THE WILLIAM R. RANDELL LOCK

SIR HENRY GALWAY LAYS THE FOUNDATION STONE

“History was made at Blanchetown on Saturday by the ceremonial inauguration of work in connection with the first attempt made to harness and control the waters of the River Murray. Too long, as Australians are at last recognizing, have neglect and procrastination taken the place of practical steps to grapple with this tremendous national problem, fraught with such possibilities for the growth of industry and prosperity, and South Australia is demonstrating to the rest of the Commonwealth the determination of her people to start work without further delay. A river fresh and full is the objective of the locking system now begun. Each of the series of important engineering works projected will help to conserve for the uses of irrigation and navigation the waters which without them pour wastefully into the Southern Ocean.