NO EXTENSION OF SCHEME

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 21987, 11 January 1937, Page 8

NO EXTENSION OF SCHEME

UNSUITABLE LAND NOT TO BE IRRIGATED REPLY TO PETITION FROM ifeADOWN ' There was apparently little if any ground for, the petition from Seadown ratepayers to the Minister for Public Works (the Hon. R. Semple) requesting a* reconsideration of a proposed extension of the Levels | Plain irrigation scheme through their territory because of the unsuitability of the land. , Interviewed yesterday, Mr T. G. Beck, resident engineer to the Public Works Department at Temuka, said that no extension whateve- had been contemplated and irrigation would certainly not be introduced where land was found to be unsuited for it. "Nothing is done without the authority of the Government, and that authority is given only after an exhaustive analysis of every factor in the specified land has been made," Mr Beck said. "There has been no alteration to the original scheme—either to its magnitude or to any original feature of it. There has been ntf extension whatever. We are following the original irrigation plans, and only those parts which investigation has shewn to be in need of water will get it. Since the plans were drawn upj only- minor adjustments have been made, and there has been no alteration to the area, or scope of the scheme." Through the Seadown land 1 in question, he "said, only/ traverse channels—outlets to the sea and carrying races—would be formed, and there would still be ah ..esti-. mated 50 per cent, of irrigable land between the coast and the railway line which would not.be irrigated' because' the extra water was hot a necessity, he said. Even in the wet* test, of seasons great benefits were, shown by.the extra water, and this had j been proved to effect in the Redcliff area further south: this year. ■■ ■! • To illustrate his statements, Mr Beck showed a reporter two samples of lucerne—-both grown this season when the .rainfall has been excess save, but one having, been supplied j with added water from irrigation. i The sample lacking the extra water i had grown eigh'v inches to the other's 20, while its foliage was i small and, by comparison, stunted.