A BIG SCHEME

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 5, 18 October 1935, Page 6

A BIG SCHEME

COUNTY IRRIGATION

TOTAL ABEA OF 25.000 ACRES.

ESTIMATED COST OF £130,000.

UNEMPLOYMENT BOARD

APPROVES

WORK FOE. TWO HUNDRED MEN

An irrigation scheme for the Ashburton County which will embrace 25,000 acres of land in the central districts, wilt provide twoyears’ employment for 200 unemployed men and' wilt involve a total expenditure of' about £130,000, is announced by the Unemployment Board and work will be commenced at an early date.

This information was .given to the soil survey conference held in Ashburton torday by Mr F. R- Climie, / of Christchurch (a member of, the Board) -vyho read a letter from the Minister of Employment (the Hon. S. G- Smith), dated October 17. There were present at the conference members of the Ashburton County Council and . Government departmental officers who were discussing the present position and future work in irrigation in the County.

The announcement, . which is a very important one to farmers of the County, was greeted with applause, and members of the Council expressed their sincere gratification at the decision of the Board.

It was stated that the scheme was now awaiting the approval of the Minister of Finance (the Hon. J. G. Coates), but that this was more of a formal matter. The letter to Mr Climie was as follows “As you are aware, the Unemployment Board has had under consideration as a special unemployed relief measure the (Question of assisting toward the prosecution of an irrigation scheme in the Ashburton district. “The Board has realised for some time that no scheme would be of greater benefit to the distinct as a whole than an irrigation scheme, and as soon as it was- found possible to consider a special Public Works programme for the relief of unemployment, the Ashburton scheme was one of the first placed on the list.

No Scheme More Beneficial. “In case you are not aware of the details, the proposed scheme provides for the employment,, of approximately 200 men for two years and the total expenditure will be in the vicinity of £130,000, so that, apart from its desirable features as a work of national benefit, the labour content of the work is of considerable proportions. “I am now pleased to advise that the Board, acting through the National Works Committee, has finalised consideration of this scheme and, in .order to enable it to be proceeded with, has agreed to find the full labour cost for full-time work at standard rates of. pay. It is probable that arrangements will be finalised in time to enable the work to be commenced within about two months. “I am sure the district generally will be pleased to know that this scheme has been made possible, and that a start will be made at an early date.”

The area to be treated is on the northern side of the Ashburton River. At its longest part it is about 14 miles in length and at the broadest six miles in width. The southern boundary is the north branch of the Ashburton River j and the area extends along the river bank from Thompson’s Track crossing to Ashburton. The block is then bordered in turn by the main road, for three miles, the Mitcham road, the Dromore Methven road, the Lauriston road, the Methven railway line, and finally by a line from Lyndhurst to Thompson’s crossing. With the exception of the Central Otago irrigation works, the scheme will he the largest in the South Island. Selection of Area. Mr J. Wood (assistant engineer in chief of the Public Works Department

‘Wellington) said the area over which this scheme would.be put into operation was 2*5,000 acres. So that results would be of the greatest advantage, it was necessary that the area should be selected near Ashburton and, m response to requests, the Department had endeavoured to select land of better quality than that at Seafield and land in which there were different types ol soil. The central area had therefore been chosen. In the meantime water would be taken from the South Ashburton River, and it was probable that this supply would be supplemented by works at Lake Heron. The officers were confident that the necessary quantity of water was available. Provided that the Minister of Finance gave Ins sanction, the work would be Commenced almost immediately. There was a lot of detailed work to be completed, but the headworks could be proceeded with in six weeks or two months time. , , „ .. The chairman of the County Council (Mr D. J. Morrow) said he felt lie was expressing the view of all residents of the County when he said the decision was a very satisfactory and important one. * Mr Wood went on to say that the Rangitata River was undoubtedly the most suited for irrigation, as it had the supply of water in the middle of summer when it was required. Replying to a question by Mr J. Carr, Mr Wood said this scheme would fit in with any larger scheme arranged later. A' big scheme for the country in the north-west corner of the County could not bo proceeded with at the present time, hut when it could the Rangitata River would be utilised and the irrigation of the whole district brought into one large scheme.

Mr J. Moore stressed the necessity of teaching farmers in the area selected the proper use of the water befor-g id was given to them. The control was as important as the water itself. Different methods of farming would be required under the new conditions, and farmers would have to abandon many of their old principles in dealing with the irrigated area. Replying to Mr W. G. Gallagher, Mr G. H. Holi'ord (Canterbury Progress League) said the usual financial arrangement was that the Public Works Department take charge of the scheme and farmers would pay for the water used at the rate of about 6s for two feet of water. He said farmers would be expected to allow the water to he taken through their properties if they were in the line of the races, whether they desired to make use of the water or not. It would not he fair if one or two men stood in the way of the community. Dealing with the question of the return of humus to the soil by irrigation, Mr Holford said there was a difference between irrigation and saturation. Manuring and irrigation went together, and without water very little benefit could be derived from manures.

On the motion of Messrs Morrow and £3. P. Taylor, the Council expressed its thanks and appreciation of the decision of the Unemployment Board to undertake, in conjunction with the Public Works Department, the work' of irrigation in the County.