The Evening Star. MONDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1929. CENTRAL OTAGO IRRIGATION.

Evening Star, Issue 20317, 28 October 1929, Page 8

The Evening Star. MONDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1929. CENTRAL OTAGO IRRIGATION.

It is possible that >n Central Otago some disappointment will bo felt over the scant notice given to irrigation in the Public Works Statement. Concerning future policy nothing new is said at all. There is a recapitulation ol recent decisions in respect of rectifying deficiencies in existing schemes disclosed by recent experience of their working. The State has had to conic to the rescue of its oldest scheme in an engineering sense; also it has had to make financial concessions to irrigators on perhaps its most extensive scheme. Several weeks ago it was announced that the Government had authorised the construction of a new dam at or near the head waters of the Poclbnrn for the further watering of Ida Valley. Roughly speaking, that highly productive valley lies between Rough Ridge and the Raggedy Range and its water supply lias been derived from. another watershed at the head of the valley by the damming of tho Manorburn. The supply’ from that source is proving unequal to the demand, and now a supply from the Rough Ridgo side is to supplement what at one time it was thought would bo ample. Tho Poolburn dam is to be 100 ft high and 480 ft long on its crest, containing about 14,000 cubic yards of concrete, so that it will bo a work of some magnitude. This work, when completed, will not, howevei, servo to bring under irrigation any very considerable area of arid land. What we arc hoping is that it will not detrimentally affect tho supply to the Manuherikia scheme. The Poolhum is no inconsiderable tributary of the Manuherikia River, which it joins far above the intake of tho Manuherikia irrigation system’s main race. It has already- been proved that this latter -ace conveys water very’ insufficient to fill the needs of tho irrigationists dependent on it. It is principally they to whom the Minister of Public Works refers when he records tho five-year modification of the “ agreement ” between tho State and its water customers. Such a concession was imperative lest there should be any walking off ” through inability to make a living. A far better plan, if practicable, would have been to ensure a really adequate supply of water—enough to enable the best to be made of all tho land declared “irrigable” on paper and water-rated accordingly. But it has been decided otherwise. Priority is given tho Ida Valley, in which lor the most part the holdings are large and the s ttlers highly prosperous. The State is providing confirmation of tho Biblical adage, “ To him that hath shall be given.” It is sincerely to bo hoped that the decision does Hot also involve tho application of the remainder of the quotation—“ From him that hath not shall be taken away oven that which he seemeth to have.” Further in the interior of Central Otago there is land awaiting water and a patient population pinning its faith on irrigation for the future of a district, which for years has shown smallscale, isolated proof of the big-scalo transformation that might be effected. The heart of that district is Cromwell. It stands aloft and watches perennially the overflow from two big lake systems rush past to their confluence immediately beneath it. On a small scale the water from one of these rivers has been tapped and piped and distributed. This has been done by private enterprise, and the benefit to the district is of such a nature that Cromwell has prayed the Government to take over tho scheme and administer it for the general welfare, not excluding that of tho State itself. The State has declined. The State has also virtually declined (in the meantime, at any rate) tho utilisation of tho other river for tho irrigation of a valley of infinite possibilities. A hydro-electric pumping scheme on the Hawea River has been mooted; prior to this the HaweaW&uaka power scheme was put forward. To the former scheme, under private enterprise, the Public Works Department, on behalf of tho State, has lodged objection. We understand . tho Government’s attitude to bo that either of these schemes should bo national and not entrusted to private enterprise But the State makes no move itself, and -therefore nothing can be done. This appears to ns a clog in the manger attitude. The crucial question is whether the State is prepared to undertake big-scale irrigation in Central Otago, or remain satisfied with its small-scale experiments? These latter have indicated the limitations of comparatively small-scale races, even when

narked by storage Th Public Works Statement by tin brici references it does make to irn; ion, suggests that the timorous policy is the one favoured. The people ol Dunedin and the rest ol Otago must persevcringly back up the Cromwell district’s representations to have that policy changed.