IRRIGATION SCHEME AT ASHBURTON

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25547, 15 July 1948, Page 3

IRRIGATION SCHEME AT ASHBURTON

FARMERS OBJECT TO WATER CHARGES

Opposition to the form of contract drawn up by the Public Works Department to be signed by irrigators for the purchase of water for a term of 15 years from September, 1948. was expressed by members of the Ash-burton-Lyndhurst Irrigation Development Association at the annual meeting of the association on Tuesday evening. A copy of the contract which was received at the meeting showed that the charge for water would be 4s for each foot an acre for half the irrigable area of each farm irrespective of the size of the farm. To those who failed to sign the contract, the charge for water would be 6s an acre foot of water. The meeting decided to oppose the form of the contract because the water was first offered at 3s a foot, then the charge was increased to 4s and now if the water was taken on demand, the price would be 6s a foot. Messrs C. Hilgendorf, C. C. Wmn and P C. Curd were appointed to meet the Canterbury District Engineer of the Public Works Department (Mr E. F. Evans) and the Irrigation Engineer (Mr J. O. Riddell) with a request that the contract system be deferred for five years until the iixigators obtained a knowledge of what to expect of irrigation.