LAND DRAINAGE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 60, Issue 250, 30 July 1940, Page 2

LAND DRAINAGE.

THE HINDS-LOWCLIFFE SCHEME. f MINISTER MEETS DEPUTATION. Urging early decision on the part of the Government in regard to the extent of assistance it will give in the cost of the big land drainage scheme in the Hinds River area, a deputation representing the Ashburton County Council waited on the Minister for Public Works (the Hon. R. Semple) at Christchurch yesterday. The deputation comprised Messrs S. P. Taylor (chairman), H. C. B. Withell,. G. Kelly (clerk), H. A. Yiezey (engineer) and J. H. Grigg (representing the farming interests in the locality of the drainage scheme). The Minister promised that he would secure a report from bis engineers, and he assured the deputation that he was thoroughly in sympathy with any scheme designed to increase the productivity of the country. Blockages at the mouth of the Hinds river and the choking up of old channels which used to drain the land were stated to be the reasons for this large tract of country going into desuetude. Originally it was part of the Longbeach Estate. The cost of rectifying this trouble and bringing the land back into its former good condition is tentatively estimated at £IOO,OOO. The Minister who inspected the land some months ago, stated that the County Council’s consulting engineer had made' a complete survey of the area and would confer With Mr T. G. Beck (district engineer to the /Public Works Department). Much of the work involved should be done, in the interests of /economy, by machinery. There was also scope for manual work, and 50 to 80 men and several maclmies could be employed there. The area included a dairying district, and it was important to the country in the present state, of -world affairs to increase food production wherever possible. “My own view is that this is a most desirable work,” said Mr Semple.