IRRIGATION IN CENTRAL OTAGO

Manawatu Times, Volume LII, Issue 3625, 15 June 1927, Page 7

IRRIGATION IN CENTRAL OTAGO

ADDRESS AT LUNCH CLUBBY MR. J. R. MENZIES. The speaker at yesterday’s meeting of the Palmerston North Citizens’ Lunch Club was Mr. J. R. Menzles, engineer of the Kairanga County Council, who addressed the members on the subject of “Irrigation in Central Otago.” Mr. C. W. Ennis was in the chair. It was probable, said- the speaker* that the average resident of the Matmwatii, where a great deal of money was being spent to get water away., did not realise that much greater sums were being spent—in another part of the Dominion, to get water in—“and this .in what was known as “wet Otago.” 1 ; ■■ ■■, Indeed, it was not generally, known that there existed in Central Otago an area of 3000 square miles, approximately a million acres, where the annual rainfall was less than 30 inches. Most of this area was high mountainous country which could never be Irrigated, and was suitable only for sheep grazing. There were, however, many fertile valleys whose slopes were well suited for irrigation. Much of this area now being irrigated, had, in the early days, been occupied by miners,: who bad, needed water for their mining operations and had brought It i» from long distances. The first irrigation scheme in. Central • Otago, he stated, had been put Into effect by a Frenchman, named Jean Ferrode, in 1869. Another early irrigation scheme was that of a property of about 60. acres, of yhich onethird had been'irrigated and the rest was paddocks and rocks. Not long ago a test had been made, and tho grass production from the land had been valued at 12.200, most of the profit coming from the third proportion of the property being in orchard.Otago Central, the «ptaker said, was fast becoming a land of plenty. He quoted figures showing the acreage of areas now under irrigation from Government Schemes, the total acreage being 27.828. With other areas to be irrigated later on this total would be brought up to 60,000 acres, not taking into consideration approximately 10,000 acres here and here which had been privately irrigated. The question of economy often came in of coursat continued the speaker, especially in localities close to lines of communication where the soil was good and suitable for irrigation, .but tho cost of brining the water is often too great. Caro also had to be taken that' In the application of irrigation adequate drainage of all surplus water was made. “Irrigation," the speaker concluded, was destined to play an important part in the development of Central Otago, and consequently will be of immense benefit to the Dominion. At the conclusion of the address, the Club’s thanks were expressed by Major Rose,