IN THE SUDAN

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 91, 14 October 1931, Page 10

IN THE SUDAN

OPENING "UP THE LAND

IRRIGATION SCHEME

'Returning to New Zealand after two years in the Sudan, where he was engaged in irrigation work for the Sudan Government, Mr. A. J. Learmonth, of Auckland, was a passenger by the Tamaroa, which arrived to-day from Southampton.

Interviewed by a "Post" representative, Mr. Learmonth said that he was engaged as an engineer on the Gzira canalisation scheme, the purpose of which was to open up, by irrigation, arid areas for the cultivation of cotton, native corn, and lubia, a kind of pea, which was used as fodder for goats, sheep, and camels. Mr. Learmonth was a subdivision engineer in charge of about 70,000 acres. The Sennar dam on tho Blue Nile was the mainspring o£ the whole canalisation scheme, he said. The dam, whic) was completed in 1921, controlled the supply of water which ran along the main canal. The water flowed along this canal for 33 miles before it began to overflow the banks and spread out over tlvo land. Leaving the main canal, beyond the 35----mile limit, one came across a regular network of smaller canals. From the main canal led the major canal, which served to carry the water to what was termed the minor canals. Tho major canals did not actually put water on the land, but simply fed the minor canals. The minor canals, which wero from three to four feefc deep and three feet wide, distributed the water to small ditches which in turn carried the water to the trenches running between the rows of cotton.

Mr. Learmonth said that in the last twelve months about 120,000 acres of land uad been made suitable for cultivation. The land, however, was only irrigated for about eight months in every year. This was duo to an arrangement with the Egyptian Government, which wanted to protect its own lands from being short of water. Fortunately, the four months when the land was not being irrigated was riming the rainy season. After the land had been opened up for cultivation natives were placed on it as tenants. The cotton crops were controlled jointly by tho Government and the Sudan Plantation Syndicate. The Government provided the water, and the Syndicate provided the cotton and ai--ranged for the tenants, who received a share of the profits. Tho work of constructing the canals was done by drag-line excavators, graders, and hand labour. Most of the labour was recruited in Egypt, and the contractors in charge of the men were either Greeks or natives. Mr. Learraonth said that at the present time the irrigation work was stopped on account of tho depressed btate of affairs in tho. country, and it was tho intention of tho Government to carry on with land already under cultivation.

Mr. Learmonth has had considerable experience in that type of work, and for .four years was engaged as an engineer on the spillway section at Arapuni.