SEEPAGE DANGER

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23813, 5 December 1942, Page 6

SEEPAGE DANGER

OVERSEAS EXPERT’S REPORT SUGGESTED

CONCERN AT ASHBURTON

Supporting a request from the Ashburton Irrigation Problems Association and also the opinion of the chairman (Mr S. P. Taylor), the Ashburton County Council decided yesterday to request the Government to obtain the services of an expert overseas irrigation engineer to report on the whole of the irrigation scheme in the Ashburton County, particularly of damage from seepage in the main channel. Much money had already been spent on the main irrigation channel and on the irrigation channels throughout the county, and it was certain that huge sums would have to be spent before the water ran from river to river, stated Mr Taylor. He had been astonished to see on a recent inspection that water had broken through the bottom of the channel, causing seepage. The installation of monster concrete pipes in the loose shingle for some miles below the intake could easily be visualised, besides many miles of piping through other localities. The members of the council had supported the irrigation proposals at the time they were suggested, but now they had to face the fact that the turning on of the water in this channel through running shingle might easily prove to be a major disaster for Mid-Canterbury. The danger to the county was so great and many responsible citizens were becoming so alarmed, that he believed that a highly qualified irrigation and construction engineer from America should be brought to investigate and report on the whole scheme. When the Arapuni power site was endangered, he said, an engineer from Sweden had been brought to New Zealand to investigate and report, with satisfactory results. Mr Taylor emphasised that he was not casting any reflection on the work of Mr T. G. Beck and other officers of the Public Works Department. Concern about the damage caused at the channel intake and about the outlook of thousands of acres of land was expressed by Mr M. S. Turton.

Mr W. G. Gallagher said that the council had supported irrigation originally. but it had not supported the scheme now under construction. Notice, ho said should be taken of the effect at Seadown of seepage from the Levels irrigation scheme. For that reason the best possible engineer should be brought to New Zealand to investigate the scheme.

Mr C. A. Campion said that he was in favour of improving light lands in the county, but not to the detriment of good land. Water could probably be taken to the power-house at Highbank if the channel was cemented, but he was doubtful if that would be economical. Mr H. C. B. Withell said that he believed that the scheme could still be made a success. At the time of a previous smaller scheme seepage had occurred, but that had been overcome. One prominent authority had said that the channel would probably leak badly for a while, but would then take up. On the motion of Mr W. J. Moore it was decided that the engineer (Mr H. A Vezey) should consult with the Public Works Department engineer about a scheme to protect the main diversion race from flooding by the Rangitata river.

It was decided to notify the department that the council was not in favour of any interference with the Cracroft intake or stop-race in. the event of the construction of an irrigation channel there.