Irrigation Inquiry

Evening Star, Issue 19856, 3 May 1928, Page 5

Irrigation Inquiry

Settlers Preparing Data Manuherikia Will Not Give Evidence Parliament to be Petitioned Earnscleugh and Tarras May Also Hold Aloof

[From Ode Own Reporter.]

ALEXANDRA, May 2

quarters concerning the lack of publicity. At the time of the request for the committee, the Prime Minister had replied to a telegram in person, and could not be blamed for lack of publicity, for it was impossible to send notices to each individual. However, proper notification had been received. Mr Tohill added that the union was not associated with the league on the other side of the river. Mr W. A. Bodkin appeared on behalf i f the union,, and stated that that body had prepared a long and comprehensive list of questions for settlers, with whom it was in touch, the object being to get written answers as rapidly as possible. All those statements could then be analysed by tho committee; also demonstrations, etc., could bo arranged. The impression had been abroad that, as the committee could not take sworn evidence, tho return of tho questionnaire was not worth while; but this point had been cleared up, and a fund of data which would be of great value to the committee was_ assured. He asked that the committee should give some indication of the information required on tho various farms visited, and since some of the settlers refused to givo evidence, he made the suggestion that farms should bo visited by appointment only. The speaker then brought up the subject of tho recommendations he had been instructed by the union to submit for consideration by tho committee. In all these were five in number. In tho first place the Government should he asked to classify all irrigable land into first, second, and third-class country, and the charges of water for the second and third-class land should bo reduced to a minimum of 8s an acre. The quantity of water available should be one head per 100 acres for first-class land, one and a-half heads per 100 acres for second-class land, and two heads per 100 acres for land of the third-class variety. A further recommendation was to the effect that settlers should at all times bo supplied with water. Again, mortgagors of land under irrigation should not ho called upon to consent to, and be bound by, agreements, and the arguments should not be registered against tho titles. With regard to finance, the speaker said certain sums were earmarked by the State Advances Board, and advances made under tho scheme should be exclusive to settlers. If tho State Advances Board had abundant funds there would be no difficulty in finding the finances, while tho difficulty was that the State Advances had no funds available at present, ami it would take from one and a-half to two years to get finance if £50,000, £OO,OOO, or £IOO,OOO wore put aside it would solve the whole problem. The settlers really required financial assistance. Another suggestion of Mr Bodkin’s was that appeal boards should be set up in connection with tho classified land of each district, so that tho settlers could have evidence to put before the committee, that was if tho committee recommended land classrficuion. The board could consist, say, cf an office of tho Public Works Department, another of the Department oi Agri'iilture, and a third a representative of the settlors. A local settler could kc appointed for each district. Mr M'Kenzie, chairman of fbe committee, thanked members of the union for the way in which they had stated their case. Ho considered that the time was no doubt due when adjustments should bo made. Personally, lie knew that land varied considerably throughout the district, and the committee, realising this,' would go into the matter very fully and meet the settlers on their own ground. CHATTO CREEK WANTS MORE WATER. Mr T. Read (Omakau) referred to the visit of the Prime Minister about two years ago, at which time he had stated that the Chatto Creek scheme was regarded only as temporary, and that it was to be supplemented by tho Manuherikia scheme. He asked whether the committee believed that scheme was to be supplemented, so that settlers would get more water at a cheaper rate? The Chairman: I am afraid I cannot answer that. It is a matter for the Government itself. AN OPEN MIND. Messrs George and Ritchie then addressed the meeting, stating that the committee had gone into matters with an open mind, and with tho determination to get to the root of the troubles. Mr Rodger stated that ho could not understand the attitude of a certain section of settlers, who, so he understood, refused to give evidence, and lie considered that in the end they would be sorry, when they realised tho genuine intention of tho committee to help irrigators to the utmost extent that their trouble warranted. In regard to finance, the committee recognised that if a man went on to prairie property which- required .development, ho had a hard task, for, when he was handicapped financially, he ran up against a stone wall when he was asked to pay for water in four or five years time, while development was incomplete. But if a settler purchased on sound lines, and if the adjustment for water was made on sound lines, there should be no hesitation on the part of lending institutions to advance money, for if land was able to stand up to the cost of development, it was a safe investment. The cost of the water was not always a difficulty, but the trouble often was tho cost of paying interest on the land and the cost of development. ADJUSTMENT OF PAYMENTS. Mr Bodkin then brought up the matter of the settlers who were unable to pay their rates at the present time. This was the first year a. number had been called upon to pay the maximum rate. Instead of their raising the full amount by loan and then liaving a refund made as the result of the committee’s recommendations, he asked that date for payment, with rebate, be extended until the time the committee’s recommendations were approved. Then the settlers would not be in the position of having, in the first place, to raise a greater loan than later would have been necessary. Ho asked that the committee should agree to this, such agreement by committee not necessarily to be the finding on tho Public Works Department, and said that the settlers would take the risk of having to forfeit the rebate if the recommendations of the committee were not adopted. The Chairman promised to consider the matter and reply to the irrigators later.

The Irrigation Committee set up to investigate irrigation problems in Central Otago was met last evening at Alexandra by the members of two local bodies, the first representing the Fruitgrowers’ Association, and the second the Dunstan branch of the Farmers’ Union. All through there was a decided atmosphere of friendliness, probably due to the fact that the irrigators coming under the Manuherikia scheme, numbering in it is claimed fully 90 per cent, of settlers in the district, decided not to give evidence to the committee, on the grounds that they .were dissatisfied with its personnel. However, as the meeting was open for all settlers to express their views, the ionmutt°e received a statement from Mr \V A. Bodkin, who represented these Manuherikia irrigators. The Irrigation league did not approve erf the personnel of the committee, and its statement of this fact took the form of a resolution passed on April 27. v liich has already been published. It was signed by Mr G. Asquith (president) and Mr E. T. Kitto (secretary). All the members of the Irrigation Committee were present, their names being; Messrs C. J M'Kenzie (chairman), R. B. Tcnnent, 11. A Rodger, J. R. Marks. J. George, James Ritchie, and M. P. M’Ginnis. FRUITGROWERS’ NEEDS, Tho first speaker on behalf of the Fruitgrowers’ Association was Mr J. R. Laing, who. after thanking tho committee for the opportunity of speaking, stated that the association requested the establishment of a meteorological station in the district, the need for which was thought to bo urgent. Recently the facts were put before tha Prime Minister, who'gave the association a splendid hearing, and said that he would put the matter before the authorities in Wellington. Stressing the benefits to be derived from the establishment of such a station, Mr Laing, speaking of past experiments connected with frost fighting, added that further experiments were necessary so that fruitgrowers could use their frost fighting material to Hie best advantage. During the 1: st fortnight there had been heevv • od n .s iu“t wlmu the intermediate crops of pears and apples were being harvested. Had there been a station it would have been postiblo to forecast the weather, and so Jrarn farmers what to do. In referring to soil survey, the breaker went on say that means Vht.ulcl be found to discover' what improvements could bo carried out, and to make good grazing land nut of poor loil. This, no said, had some bearing an irrigation matters. Experiments regarding what quantity of water was suitable for certain bands could be made. Mr 11. B. Tennent was in -favour of the establishment of such a station. Undoubtedly it would benefit the whole community. Mr C. M'lntosh endorsed all that the previous speakers had said, and he added that much information had been gained at Ophir in this way, but as conditions there were not altogether favourable it was thought best that the station should he erected nearer Clyde or Alexandra, and a recommendation from the committee would go a long way towards bringing it about. Tim time had arrived in the progress of irrigation when such experiments became necessary. Mr W. R. Michaelis, F.R.A.S., paid a tribute to the work being done at Ophir by the Rev. Mr Don, but said there was no doubt that conditions there were not suitable, and if the committee decided to make a recommendation it could not do better than decide on Alexandra or Clyde. A secondclass station, say, in Alexandra would do an immense amount of good. IRRIGATION AND FRUIT INDUSTRY. Mr C. 'Weaver, speaking on irrigation in its relationship to fruit growing, stated that some orchards were not doing as well as they should with the amount of water put on them. In this locality tho land, after being watered, had to be cultivated. During the last few years orchardists had been trying to bring apples back to a profitable basis bv artificial manure. The speaker also dealt with the drying of apricots, and concluded with a comprehensive survey of practically every aspect of fruit growing. The orchard industry, he said, would not bear anything very much in the way of water rates. THE CHAIRMAN REPLIES. Mr M :Kenzie, in answer to the speaker, said they had his sincere sympathy. The amount of water required in certain areas would need much studying, and it would be of great benefit to the district, if a station could be established. The members of the committee would give the matter every consideration. COMING TO THE SUBJECT. Ordinary irrigation matters were brought up bv Mr R. Toliill, president of the Dunstan branch of the Farmers’ Union, who extended a hearty welcome to the members of the committee, a-nd mentioned the conditions which led to the request for its formation. He thought that irrigation was the finest thing that ever came to Central Otago, and expressed appreciation of the help and sympathy given by tho Prim© Minister, Mr J. Horn (the member for .the district), and Mr J. R. Marks_ in the way of improving the land and increasing production. In the course of time all the. necessary little adjustments as regards irrigation would b© made. The speaker regretted the attitude taken up by the Manuherikia Irrigation League, and he thought it was taking up a wrong attitude in not giving evidence at that meeting. He believed that numbers of the Manuherikia settlers were quit© willing to give evidence and submit their land to inspection. The irrigators there had experienced many difficulties, and it was unfortunate that at a critical time the race had suffered several breakdowns. However, lie considered that the P.ublic Works Department was not to blame for it all. In connection with allegations of discourtesy shown by members of the committee on arrival in Alexandra (the substance of which appeared in the ‘ Evening Star’), the speaker said they were absolutely untrue. He maintained that the committee had met the executive of the Farmers’ Union in every way possible, and had made arrangements satisfactory to all. Mr L Ryan, secretary of the union, referred to dissatisfaction in certain

Mr Bodkin suggested that, in the meantime, tho settlers should pay an amount equivalent to last year’s rates, the balance to be deferred. Mr R. Tohill thanked tho committee for its hearing, and hoped that the Manuherikia settlers would reconsider their decision and givo the committee all available information. Ho felt sure that those settlers had been misled. MANUHERIKIA’S ATTITUDE. Towards the close of the meeting Mr Bodkin appeared on behalf of the Manuherikia irrigators. The league had passed a resolution on April 27, and his instructions were to tho effect that tho league comprised a majority of the settlers under the Manuherikia scheme, from Chatto Creek to Clyde. The problems were different there from those being encountered on other schemes, because heavy losses were being encountered owing to breakages in the race. Ho had been instructed to say that the members of the league had always sought an independent Commission, and if the Prime Minister was not prepared to accede to their petition to that effect, then they would petition Parliament. The speaker suggested in conclusion that if tho committee could see individuals they might be able to satisfy them. .It was understood that _ the league would not assist the committee in any way, but would not offer any objection to the committee inspecting their individual properties. Mr M'Kenzie invited tho chairman and secretary of tho league to put their views before' the committee, wnichwas always prepared to meet them. Mr E. T. Kitto explained that ho was present for tho purpose of introducing himself as secretary of_ the league, and as ho was not_ satisfied with the committee, he wished to make no further remarks. EARNSCLEUGH SETTLERS. The Earnscleugh settlers, who are also dissatisfied with the personnel of the committee will meet to-night, the purpose being stated to be that they, too, will refuse to meet the committee. Trouble is also rumoured to be brewing at tho Tarras end.