FARMERS’ TOUR

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 59, Issue 38, 24 November 1938, Page 6

FARMERS’ TOUR

SEEING THE IRRIGATION WORKS. FIRST DAY IN CENTRAL OTAGO. HISTORIC MININGS VIEWED. (From Oiir Own Reporter.) ALEXANDRA, Nov. 23. - There were enough sights packed into the tour of the Ashburton farmers on the first day in Central Otago yesterday to recompense them for having made the trip, but it was only the lieginning of a tour that will he remembered hy the party as long as they live. Their introduction to Central Otago was not a warm one, as far as the weather was concerned, lor snow fell during the early morning, and the prospects when they set out from Ranfurly to-day were anything hut bright. A piercingly cold-wind blew from the south-west and it was stated that it was the first cold wind experienced there for a year. Heavy banks of cloud rolled up over the mountains and the lirst portion of the journey to the Falls Dam was cold and somewhat cheerless as to outlook, but cheery so far as the spirits of the party came into account. Mountainous Roads. There was a long climb up the mountains to reach a point from which the tourists could walk to the dam, and snow lay thick on all sides. The road became more and more tortuous and dangerous till at last there was barely space for the buses to round the corners, though the two cars which accompanied the party experienced no difficulty. Tn one of the cars was Mr J. D. AVatt (Public Works Department Engineer, stationed at Alexandra), who has charge of the irrigation works, and in the other.was Mr G. G. Ca-lder (of the Agriculture Department, stationed at Alexandra). These officers acted as guides for the party and explained in detail what is being done by their respective Departments’ and by farmers who are the water brought down in the irrigation channels. They also pointed out places of more than passing interest. Central Otago is a place of heights, and this the farmers are not lkely to forget. Having negotiated the mountain road and travelled over the last few miles round a steep face with a rushing river hundreds of feet below and only inches to spare between the edge of the drop and the bus wheels, the buses had to he left behind, while the party walked up a precipitous track to reach the top of the dam. The Omakau Scheme Dam. This work • supplies the Omakau scheme which extends over an area of 10,000 acres. It is of the rock fil type, with reinforced concrete slab face on the upstream side. Jt has a height of 110 feet from the valley hod and its length is 510 feet, while the maximum width at the bottom is 320 feet. The rock used to build the dam amounted to 168,000 cubic yards, and the cost was in the vicinity of £117,000. The concrete slab on the upper face took no fewer than 4130 cubic yards of material.

The flood flows are led through a spillway tunnel 500 foot long and 1 < feet in diameter and the spillway has a capacity of 15,000 cusocs when there is a depth of eight feet of water at its crest.

Nothing more awe-inspiring than this spillway could be imagined. It resembles the large end of a cornet standing in the dam. It is 102 feet across and the same distance to the bottom, and into this runs the water that is vomited out of the tunnel far below and released into the natural creek bed.

To prevent the water entering the spillway swirling, becoming an immense vortex, six tall concrete fins have been built on the lip of the spillway, and these direct the water down the funnel in a straight line. With hardly a ripple the water runs over the lip of the spillway, but it at once gathers momentum arfd as it reaches the straight sides of the funnel it turns to white foam and sends up a roaring that is frightening. Viewed from the side of the hill above, the sight is one the like of which is not equalled in New Zealand. About 1700 Feet Above Sea Level. The dam, the only one of its kind in the Dominion, could be raised another 50 feet if necessary, and this would mean a tremendous backing up of water, for already the water dammed covers' an area of about 300 acres, and it extends for nearly three miles behind the dam, which is about 1700 feet above sea level. The raising of the dam would give supply sufficient to fill irrigation channels at Alexandra, 40 miles away. The water crosses about three miles of country before it is picked up at, a and guided into the channels' from which it is taken to irrigate the farms. It feeds one scheme but tends to regulate the supply of- one other adjacent scheme. At St. Bathans, a small town, n.-nc or less a hamlet, with one stragglng street that winds down the hill past the houses, probably following the original track taken by the miners in the early days, the party was entertained to morning tea, a most acceptable interlude after the biting cold of the mountains. The Visitors Entertained. The president of the local Farmers’ Union (Mr J. Charles) welcomed the visitors and expressed the hope that their visit to the district would be instructive. It was unfortunate that the weather was so bad. The present year had been the wettest for a long period, and the party would not see the best results of irrigation, but their guides would be able to domonstiato what had been done. Irrigation was doing good work in Central Otago, an would do more good as time went-on. Supporting this speaker, Mr G. Morgan said the party would have to take it for granted that irrigation was a success; it had been -the saviour of Central Otago year after year. Ho was sure that after viewing the irrigated farms the Ashburton farmers would go home and at once prepare for irriga-

tion if they would only believe all that the Departmental officers would tell them. Value of The Tour. Replyiing, the president of the MidCanterbury Executive of the Union (Mr C. C. Winn) thanked the local people lor their hospitality, and said that Ashburton was committed to a big irrigation scheme. Doubts had boon expressed as to the benefits that were to be derived from irrigation, and so the party had come south to ascertain what had been done there. There were periods of dry conditions on the Ashburton plains, though this year the rainfall would reach nearer 40 inches, considerably over the average. Ashburton hoped to have a scheme that would give a continued carrying capacity of the land. He referred to the difference there would have to he in the methods the farmers of the two districts would have to adopt. The trip through Central Otago, ho concluded, would be educational and very valuable to the farmers of the Ashburton County. A Lonely Little Hotel. ' The party travelled many more miles through a type of country totally different from that to which they are accustomed and reached a. lonely little hotel at .Becks, near Omakau. Why the hotel is there is a puzzle, for there are few houses within miles of it. Its dining room was taxed to its utmost to cater for the party for lunch. The Omakau scheme was next viewed. This deals with 11,700 acres in the Ida Valley and 2640 acres in the Galloway Fiats area, and the water is supplied from two concrete arched dams, Manorburn and Poolhurn.

The first of these, built in 1914, is 88 feet high, and has a crest length of 387 feet. The other, built in 1931, is 83 feet high, and has a crest length of 535 feet. The crest of the Manorburn dam is 2300 feet above sea level, and that of the Poolhurn dam is 400 feet higher. Afternoon tea was supplied by Mr and Mrs F. W. Butcher, in the Ida Valley, where the party inspected paddocks that have been under irrigation for many years. Thanking the host and hostess, Mr Winn said it was apparent from what they had seen that irrigation had made Ida Valley.

The rest of the afternoon was occupied in reaching Alexandra, where the party arrived shortly before 7 o’clock. The road lay over the worst piece of country so far encountered, entailing travelling up and down roads that taxed the skill of the. drivers and 1 kept the party on the edges of their seats with the thrill of it. No one was sorry to leave the dangers behind and run through the apple, peach and cherry orchards which marked the outskirts of Alexandra . The cherries were red and seemingly almost ripe, and the other fruit trees appeared to be heavily laden.

VALUE OF IRRIGATION WORK.

A VIVID GREEN BELT

(From Our Own Reporter.) CROMWELL, This Day

The weather was on its best behaviour yesterday for the Ashburton farmers’ tour in Central Otago, and the visitors were able to gauge something of the reasons for the vast quantities of fruit which annually come out of the area. It was a day of notable experiences, and members of the party began to realise how much irrigation lias done. The hill country which, before water came was barren, carrying one sheep to several acres, now, carries several sheep to the acre, and the difference in the ground below the water channels has to be seen to be believed. In some of the valleys where a good view was obtainable the line of channels could be picked out for many miles because of the vivid green belt beneath.

Hospitalitv is being showered on the party in all directions, and the trip over the mountainous routes brings fresh cause to be thankful that the tour was organised. The further the party goes the more it sees of relics of mining days and some members had the unique experience of handling a piece of gold worth £IOOO, and of running their fingers through a heap of small nuggets. Many tales of happenings in the early days were recounted to parties by local people. The tourists had a glorious run for many miles along the bank of the Molyneux River to Cromwell, where the Kawarau and Clutlia Rivers join to make the Molyneux. To-day the party is scheduled to reach Queenstown early this afternoon, and will take a trip on a lake steamer.