GALLOWAY FLAT INSPECTION

Evening Star, Issue 19857, 4 May 1928, Page 11

GALLOWAY FLAT INSPECTION

RACE TO WATER STOCK REQUESTED To-day ihe members of the special committee set up by the Government to investigate cite problems of Utago Central irrigators spent a busy time taking note of requests made lor certain adjustments by farmers on the Galloway Flat, in order to cover the ground quickly, and at the same time give each settler a fair time in which to explain his position, the party split up into two sections, Messrs M’Kenzie (chairman), Rodger, and M’Ginnis working the farms on the east side of the main road, and Messrs Tennet, Marks, Ritchio, and George the other side. The inspections for the most part took the form of gathering the knowledge required for bringing irrigation down to a line art, and putting the water available to the most extensive use possible.

Consideration was given to the classification of soil, and how to bring the water down to the poorer class of land was a problem for the solution of which data were jotted down. The trouble confronting a certain section of the farmers is that they have found it impossible to irrigate largo areas near the road lino, principally because the most penetrative methods of spreading water were not employed. In this connection the question of border dyking will in future demand considerable attention. One contention of the settlers was that, in the first place, they should have been charged tor water according to the productiveness of the land which was beneficially affected instead of having to sign up for every acre, whether the water reached it or not. At present that portion of the ground which has been getting the water shows a marked improvement, and it is considered that the Government should, years ago, have taken steps to give the settlers every possible advantage accruing from irrigation. For there are still many parched patches, which need not have been in that state. However, if the committee does its work thoroughly, and if the Government carries out the recommendations the committee makes, Galloway Flat will indeed be one of the finest farming districts in Otago. The chairman (Mr McKenzie) has promised that every consideration will be given to settlers’ plaints A suggestion slightly beyond the usual rim of things was put to the committee by Mr L, Ryan (secretary of the Dunstan branch of the Farmers’ Union), who accompanied the party, acting on behalf of settlers whose properties adjoined the main road. He asked that a dual purpose race be run down through properties and along the road line, the purposes of it being to irrigate the poorer land so far untouched, and also to water stock. Mr Rvau stated that, as it was, the stock had too far to go for water, and consequently wove not getting the amount they really required. It was stated also that the water was needed in winter as well as in summer. Mr Marks said it would have to be a four-head race, and he estimated the length required at about one and ohalf miles. In order to obviate the difficulty confronting them, as regards the race passing across each main entrance, wooden culverts would have to be put inAfter some discussion it was considered that if this dual purpose race were established it should run along outside the fences, because the upkeep, owing to the fact of the ditch being out of the cattle zone, would not bo so great as if it were put inside. In reply to a suggestion from Mr Ryan that the Public Works Department should bear the cost of construction and maintenance of the race, Mr Rodger said that if the farmers had to mine to some arrangements to have their stock watered, they themselves should bear the cost of maintenance

and construction. They were asking for more public expenditure, and the fact of such a thing being done in one section must necessarily mean a spread all over the district. 1 If water was not available for the cattle, that fact must be considered in tho scale of charges. Mr U. B. Tennet agreed with Mr Ryan and other speakers that when the land was divided up into small dairy farms, it was absolutely necessary that an adequate water supply should be delivered to individual paddocks so as to do away with the necessity for stock to wander all over a farm to obtain water. _ This was the accepted practice in dairy farms under irrigation, and the position could probably bo met at Galloway Flat by running a subsidiary race along the road line. It would servo two purposes, these Vicing to water stock and to' irrigate back-lying slopes. Whether the scheme was practical or not was for the committee to inquire, into, hut the practice of rotation grazing could certainly not he carried out unless preparations were made for watering stock at strategic points on tho various farms. Mr M'Kcnzie stated that the matter would receive the earnest consideration of the committee.