GOOD PROGRESS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 60, Issue 247, 26 July 1940, Page 3

GOOD PROGRESS

IRRIGATION UNDERTAKINGS.

VALUE TO THE DOMINION

DEVELOPMENT AND AGRICULTURE. (Special to the “ Guardian.”) WELLINGTON, July 25. “Irrigation works which will have an important hearing on the development of the Dominion are receiving increasing attention by the Government, and the major schemes at present under construction in Canterbury will be the means of placing a large number of additional men on farming work in the near future,” says the Public Works Statement, which was presented in the House of Representatives by the Minister of Public Works (the Hon. R. Semple) to-day. “On the two completed schemes in Canterbury commanding 17,403 acres, 3000 acres were irrigated, find £687 of revenue was received’. This revenue was double that received last season, .and represents a satisfactory increase lor newly-operated schemes, and shows that the Canterbury farmers are realising the importance of the practice of irrigation. The year’s construction activity was confined to the large Canterbury schemes, which are dependent on the water supply from the Rangitata River. “Work on the Rangitata irrigation and hydro-electric power-race was continued vigorously during the year, and is now reaching an advanced state. The construction of the large syphons on this race has been put in hand, and good progress is being made. Ashburton and Mayfied. ‘Concurrent with the construction of the Rangitata race, two large irrigation schemes dependent on the race .for their water supply have been actively proceeding. These schemes are known as the Ashburton-Lyndhurst Scheme, of 34,000 acres, and the May-field-Hinds Scheme, of 54,000 acres. The Ashburton-Lyndhurst Scheme is now 84 per cent, completed, and the Mayfield-Hinds Scheme 30 per cent, completed. These works' are fully mechanised, hut progress was curtailed slightly owing to the withdrawal of certain mechanical units for urgent defence works. The operation of a demonstration area of 36 acres on the Ashburton-Lyndhurst Scheme has been continued, and the average carrying capacity for the year was nine sheep per acre. “The Downlands water supply scheme, which is to supply stock water over an area of 153,000 acres situated in the Levels, Waimate, Mackenzie and Geraldine Counties near Timaru, has been proceeding vigorously during the year. This work entails the construction of several large reservoirs and the laying of some 800 miles of piping. The delivery of piping is now nearing completion, and the headworks, main pipeline, two service reservoirs, and 70,000 acres of reticulation are completed, and 20,000 acres are now receiving a water supply. It is expected that the whole scheiho -will he in operation in. twelve months’ time.

“In view of the importance of irrigation and water supply, and its direct, bearing on national production, it is my endeavour to continue these wtjrks as actively as possible during the difficult war period.”