IRRIGATION FOR CANTERBURY

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21256, 30 August 1934, Page 13

IRRIGATION FOR CANTERBURY

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to int; sin iron or tub i-i;es4. Sir. —I have been keenly interested in irrigation in the Canterbury province for many years, and had often wished Ilia i something might be clone to briny it about. As a farmer of medium and .some of the lighter lands jn the province, I can realise what an abundance of slimmer feed would inean, and n visit, last autumn, to the experiments being conducted by the Lands and Survey Department at Seafield. Ashbur!on County, has convinced jne that the matter is worthy of full investigation. If it will pay, then let us have it. If not, we certainly do not want extra burdens to bear. I notice Mr Coates'y budget, under the head'im; of "Public Works Expenditure," an item of £4850, Cor irrigation (Canterbury district). It must, be assumed that this is for investigating the engineering aspects of irrigation or for the construction'of irrigation works in some area, or for Iboth. I hope it is for the former, as 510 doubt investigation into this aspect of the problem should be carried out (simultaneously with agricultural and (economic investigations. But £4850 is id good deal to spend on engineering jnvestigation.s when nothing is being (spent on the problem from the farmers' aspect of it. (I gathered, when visiting Seafield. last autumn, that the (farm and the experiments are being jrun out oE farm income and investigation is thereby seriously handicapped and limited.) As a farmer there are many things I wish to know about irrigation and pome that come to mind are—the crops one should grow and the proportions »f each, the best pasture mixture to sow under irrigation, the most suitable manures and the quantities to use, 'if hairgrass and browntop can be profitably watered, how I must manage the irrigated portion of my tfarm in relation to the remaining area, or how the remaining area should be handled in relation to the irrigated area, the quantity of water for and the method of irrigating the various crops, how much profit I am likely to make for iny extra labour and what I can afford to pay for water. With all due respect for the few Investigations now in hand I cannot see how these questions can be answered without the expenditure of money. Surely a little money spent on these investigations is worth while before large sums are spent on irrigation works which may bo, like many of those in Central Otago, uneconomic. •The agricultural and economic side of irrigation in Canterbury is, I venture to state, more important than the engineering side and so I cannot sec why another £4850 is no!; being spoilt on this aspect of the problem. Again lot me say_ I want irrigation if it is an economic proposition. Its greatest chance of being a financial success is. I should say, when the water is used in the best way on the most suitable crops. Therefore, it would be false economy if it failed because of lack of information on these points.—Yours etc., INTERESTED FARMER. August 29, 1034.