Irrigation survey

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32461, 23 November 1970, Page 14

Irrigation survey

The Minister of Works (Mr Allen) has asked the North Canterbury Catchment Board to extend its survey of water resources to include the Rakaia River. la a letter to Mr C. C. A. McLachlan, member of Parliament for Ashburton, and Mr M. A. ConneHy, .member of Parliament for Wigram, Mr Allen says the catchment board has already supplied its report on the Waimakariri River. This confirmed earlier views that only limited amounts of water from the river would be available for irrigation.

Mr Alien’s letter was in response to representations made by Mr McLachlan and Mr Connelly on behalf of the Northern Central Plains Irrigation Committee for a study to see if an irrigation system could be designed for this region.

“I have now requested the catchment board to extend its survey to include the Rakaia River. The District Commissioner of Works will be available to assist the board with this and with broad planning into the allocation of water for future use,” he says. “These investigations will indicate if adequate water is available for irrigation and an assurance on this is required before I could consider authorising an irrigation survey as requested by the Northern Central Plains

Irrigation Committee.” Commenting on the letter, Mr Connelly says: “Already some time has elapsed since we approached the Minister earlier this year on behalf of the committee. The further survey should be completed as quickly as possible. We hope the results can be announced early in the New Year.”