Irrigation still wanted

Press, 8 December 1983, Page 22

Irrigation still wanted

PA Wellington Maniototo farmers still want their irrigation scheme to go ahead, but at a realistic price. A delegation from the Maniototo Irrigation Committee met the Minister of Works, Mr Friedlander, in Wellington late last month with a solution to the problem of soaring costs on the scheme. The committee had com-

missioned an independent report by a Canterbury firm of irrigation consultants, Englebrecht, Royds, Tavendale and Company, Ltd. The secretary of the irrigation committee, Mr Allan Brown, a Ranfurly solicitor, would not comment on details of the proposal put to Mr Friedlander. But he said the farmers still wanted the scheme to proceed at a price they could afford.

They were told on October 3 by Mr Friedlander that the cost of the irrigation scheme they had been planning since 1976 to ease their drought troubles had risen from $5.9 million to $44 million. Their share of the. increased costs had risen from the original average estimate of $14.56 a hectare to $143.40.

The farmers appreciated the fact that they would

have to pay more because of the increased costs,’ but they could not afford the figures quoted by Mr Friedlander, Mr Brown said.

“They would go bankrupt with those sort of figures,” he said.

“There has got to be a compromise somewhere in between.”

The committee is waiting for Mr Friedlander’s response to its proposal.