IRRIGATION

Evening Star, Issue 19142, 8 January 1926, Page 4

IRRIGATION

IN CENTRAL OTAGO: GOLD MINERS SHOWED THE WAY THE IT? WATER-RACES THE FIRST IRRIGATION WORKS. FART HI. The story of irrigation in Central Otago would he very incomplete without mention ol the great report on the subject made sonic sixteen years ago by two Government officials—Mr J. L.'Bruce, of the Agricultural Department, and Mr .1. H- Dobson, of tlie Public Works Department—-lor it is from the presentation ol their report that the modern and already most .successful phase of irrigation in this part of the dominion really dates. The story was well told in the ‘ Evening Star’ some time ago by Mr IV. 11. Steel (secretary of the Otago Expansion League). Mr Steel brought out very clearly, as stated in a. previous article, facts that the old goldminers showed tlie way in regard to irrigation in Central Otago, and that their waterraces, thou gli primarily constructed, of course, for mining purposes, constituted, after tlie miners’ claims had petered out, the first irrigation works in this part ol the dominion. Great was tho rush of the goldpickers to Gabriel’s Gully and for years_ (stated Mr Steel) everything bad to give place to gold and the frantic search for it; but rich as tho harvest was, it was not perennial, and as the claims wore worked out tho miners left, some to retire on the fortunes they had accumulated, others to wander to other folds—Australia, British Columbia, or tho Yukon—tho rest remained and took up sections of land near their old mining claims. SLUICING FOR GOLD.

The method of mining adopted Inmost of them had been the use ol water to break down the old river terraces which abound throughout tho district, and in which tho great streams of prehistoric days had deposited the flakes of precious metal amid the shingle and alluvial drifts of their extreme hods. The bringing in of this water necessitated tho damming of many tributaries and the construction of races, in which the water flowed by tortuous courses round the hill spurs, ft. was noticed that wherever water was available in that thirsty soil vegetation was plentiful, and tliose of the minors who took up land, and were young enough and adaptable enough to take up a new lino, applied the water principally to tho growth of fruit trees, and in this succeeded beyond their greatest hopes. FROM PASTURE LAND TO WILDERNESS. Unfortunately, however, many of the British small birds wore acclimatised in Otago, and they thrived and spread until they became the dread of the orchardist in the Central, who retaliated by introducing little owls to keep these marauders of the orchards in checli,.

But the small bird was a trifle. compared with the rabbit. Early in the sixties a Southland fanner-peace bo to bis ashes—bar) imported a few rabbits to frisk about his homestead, so that ho might fool, as bo saw their notion tails bobbing along by forme, and difob, that “it was just like being at Maine.” Tho rabbits certainly wore very much “at ha me,” and with that marvellous fecundity of theirs wore soon swarming all over Southland. “ They will never cross the Mataura, ’ said the wiseacres, “ and Otago will ho sate.” But, in spite of the prophets, neither tho Mataura nnr the Mnlynonx eonld stop their northward trail, and tho dry, sunny slopes of the Central nia.de an ideal habitat for this most unwanted of aliens. He came, be saw, ho devastated, and what bad once been a smiling pasture land became a wilderness, and Central Otago added another to the many problems of existence. So it came to pass in the late years of the last century and the early'years of the present one that the value of pastoral holdings in the Otago district came down with a run, and what had once been valuable and productive endowment lands were Jet for an old song. THE HOUR AND THE MEN. Even an old song was too dear for many of the divisions of land, and men went out boggards who had gone in with a competence. And in the midst of this drearv outlook came, the idea of refcrtilisation of tho land by tho application of water. It is an did and a trite saying that with the hour comes the man, and the resurrection of irrigation in Central Otago is largely due to two men, who were respect ivoly appointed by tho Departments ol Agriculture and Public Works, Messrs J. L. Bruce and J. H. Dobson. To these gentlemen was entrusted the task of a comprehensive survey of the arid and semi-arid areas, and their recommendation as to the sources of sup ply, the hast methods of application, and tho areas most suitable and economical for tho application of such eater. The report was made in 1909, and its recommendation was that the Mannherikia, Ida Valley, Lower Mar,iototo, and Upper Clutha should be tho fields first exploited. VIEWING THE PROMISED LAND.

After the usual parliamentary delays the proposals were finally sanctioned, and year by year the Public Works Department lias been steadily pushing on with a work of proved utility and groat .magnitude. So in the fullness of time it came to pass that the man who had recommended these groat works came down to view their progress, and also to see for himself a privilege not given to every prophet, how nearly his forecasts had worked out in practice, and what there was yet to learn from the achievements of the years. And it was Mr Steele’s privilege to meet and journey with this modern Moses who had led the people through the desert to the promised land. For, in large part, the erstwhile wilderness is once more, thanks to the Government irrigation works, blossoming like the rose.