CROMWELL NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 20363, 20 December 1929, Page 1

CROMWELL NOTES

[From Qua Own Correspondent.] December 19. We are experiencing what is in all respects a phenomenal season. Up till tho beginning of November the absence of rain left fears of a serious drought, and the pastoral country was in a bad way. In the past six wrecks, however," all that has changed, and the rainfall has been unusual. So much so, that it "was common to hear farmers expressing fears of hay rotting in the fields. What a novelty for Central Otago! During the last two days conditions have been the same, and there is still not that definite, settled sunshine which is common at this period of the year. HIGH SCHOOL. The local school closes down to-day for the Christmas vacation ,after a highly successful year. The official report was excellent, and of sixteen pupils who sought proficiency certificates, fifteen gained the pass. In connection with the school, all details are well advanced for a four days’ reunion from January 23 to 26. A comprehensive programme lias been mapped out for the celebrations, and the committee is encouraged by the prospect of a large gathering of expupils. AIINING. During the last two weeks there has been a break in the splendid progress made in tho initial work _of testing the supposed deep lead in Cornish Point. When nearing the main bottom in the drive, a flow of water on top of a tight layer did not drain readily to the main sump, and a small supplementary pump was found necessary. One was installed, but proved unsatisfactory, and a new one had to be secured. This has arrived, and is being installed, and when completed, work will again be continuous. The work to date has left renewed confidence with the members of the company, for the reason that conditions and formation in the drive are identical with those encountered by the dredge which followed a lead into the point, while the incline tunnel has proved that deep ground extends through the point. Dredging areas on the Clutiia, above Lowburn, nave been much in tho public eye of late. Some few years ago a company known as the Clutha Development Company, with headquarters in Christchurch, secured titles over ten miles of the river from Lowburn to Lindis River, in all 1,200 acres. A sum of almost £o,ooo was spent in boring on the lower portion of about 300 acres, and all reports were that results were satisfactory. However, from October, 1927, the company was inactive. Then a local party “ jumped ” the area, and in the preliminary hearing in the court, the warden held that the new party’s pegging was in order. The original holders appealed to the Supreme Court, but their appeal was dismissed. The next point was taat the new party’s solicitor failed in the statutory time to lodge a formal application for extension of time for survey, and tli« original holders seized the omission, and again pegged, and now repossess the property to the extent of 300 acres from Lowburn to Devil’s Creek. Losing this area, the new party has pegged off the next area up stream or two and a-half miles, and when a title is secured, will proceed to test it by boring. With the two concerns, the ground will be systematically tested to ascertain the prospects of success with up-to-date dredges of the continuous bucket type. WHERE’S THAT FIVE MILLION? Land matters and the United Party’s professions are questions which are now being discussed with a good deal of anger, and tho absolute absence of anything for the progress and development of this district is intensifying the position. When tho election accepted the platform of the United Party at the General Election, they did so firm in the belief that the long overdue policy of close settlement in onr great valley was in sight, and that at last the land hunger was to be appeased. Next eyes were turned to the birth of the famous Land Bill, which was to brush aside all the iniquities of the Reform Party. In the Minister’s own statement in the House the sum of five millions was to be borrowed for land settlement and development, to be carried out as soon as possible—this in addition to another million from the general fund. While it might be early to expect the direct operation of this sum, it is_ at least reasonable to expect some indication of the Government’s intentions; and tho policy of almost entire silence in /e----gard to the many problems for the district is rapidly undermining the United forces. The local league has striven tor an answer to its representations re Pisa flats, but none is forthcoming, and it appears to have lost hope. Any information regarding Ripponvale and the Cromwell flats is evidently of a confidential nature, for' it is no secret that some information exists. Even that has not been conveyed ” in confidence ” to the league. Then the iniquities of the Reform Party were to be set aside by the United Party, but on tho first application to the test United has absolutely endorsed Reform’s policy, in toto. Of that little need be said meantime. Suffice it to remark

that lessees of Crown - leases have no» thing to fear from the operation of the United Law Bill. Whether subdivision is right or wrong is not_ the point at issue. Tlie one feature is the denunciation of what _ Reform did, and the platitudes of their oponents for political purposes, while in operation both are identical. The whole of this valley is seething with discontent at the inactivity of the United Party after all the promises made in wooing the sympathy; of electors. So much is this the case that there is a distinct turnover to Labour. It is more than in the air., It is disheartening to those who have championed the cause of the district for years, and to prospective settlers, - to find land being made available for settlement in other parts of the dominion,' while not a single acre is, or has any appearance of being, made available in' this district. “ Please explain,” that, official mark, will no doubt be presented to the member on his first visit. _ It is difficult to see how he can reconcile hia pre-election promises, and later assurances, with the recent land transactions in this district. It will makei interesting reading. While on land matters the question of hydro-electric power as a means of solving irrigation problems must come into view. It is fairly common property that the Government has some idea of developing the Roaring Meg for this purpose—a totally inadequate scheme. Now the Central Otago Power Board has its eye on the same source of power, for its needs, and will decide the point at an early date. It is neither enterprising nor judicious to tinker with such a “tin-pot” scheme/when the great Hawea source is available. The experiences of the past should have left their lesson on that score. _ Hawea should surely come under the influence of the Government’s settlement policy, seeing that it will solve for all time the question of land settlement of the valley. What this would mean for the district, the province, our capital city,, and the dominion needs no elaboration.' If there are any doubts as to the productivity of the great valley—the Pisai flats for instance—it would do the pessimists good to make a trip at the present time and note the results where a little water is available. “ In. places where men do congregate ’’■ the point is freely discussed from the view that if the Government declines to move with the Hawea scheme a strong and combined move will be made ifi favour of private enterprise. The practical man will not stand for the theoretical figures applied to the Meg.' Theory has already proved a failure in this district, for have we not strong recollections of the position with the Tarras scheme in a dry summer. In. that theory and practice were exploded by the ‘ Star.’ I have gathered opinions from men who know the Meg intimately in dry weather, and obtained calculations from professional men of standing, and, with all, the opinions of the Meg are the same. To harness it would only hinder the district’s progress. Hawea is the one and only solution, and the sooner the better. If necessary let private enterprise act.By that the expense would undoubtedly, be kept down.