IRRIGATION IN OTAGO.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19860, 2 February 1928, Page 8

IRRIGATION IN OTAGO.

COMPLAINTS BY SETTLERS, HELP OF MR. COATES WANTED. [BY TELEGItAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.) DUNEDIN, WednesdayWithin the next six weeks the Prime Minister, Air. Coates, will visit Dunedin, when a deputation .consisting of 50 Central Ota go settlers, together with members of the Otago Expansion League, will place before him their .complaints regarding irrigation works and administration. The following telegram was forwarded to Wellington by the secretary of the Otago Expansion Mr, JV. B. Steel: —"The Otago Expansion League is requested by a large number of settler! from Central Otago to solicit your earljr visit to Duuedin to moot a deputation re* garding irrigation. You are the only Minister who understands the problem and your help is urgently needed to meet a grave situation. Will be gratified if joa •could name a date to meet settlers' deputation." . - Mr. Cpates replied:—"l anticipate visiting Dunedin within next six weeks or so, but am unable to prepare my itinerary pending final arrangements for industrial conference. Will advise you as soon as dates are definitely fixed and will be glad to meet deputation referred to.'" A similar massage has been received by Mr. T. K. Sidey, M.P., who is actively interested in the matter. . Interviewed yesterday the chairman of the Expansion League, Mr. S. B. MacDonald, said the league w as not concerned with- tiic results of irrigation and its effe-t upon the land. Those were matters for the Department of Agriculture and th« settlers themselves. "We are concerning ourselves with waste and inefficiency u> the Public Works administration," n» said. "The whole position will be pu* very strongly before the Prime Minister, who is well acquainted with irrigation affairs, having been closely associated with them during his term as Minister of Public Works." s