DEPUTATIONS-TO SIR JAMES CARROLL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15186, 4 July 1911, Page 2

DEPUTATIONS-TO SIR JAMES CARROLL

IRRIGATING CROMWELL FLAT. . ' A SYMPATHETIC -REPLY. Yesterday afternoon a. deputation of some 20' gentlemen waited on Sir James Carroll, the Acting P'rimo Minister, at tho Grand Hotel, to lay before him their views as regards the benefits which would arise from the Government taking steps to introduce a scheme whereby the Cromwell Plat might bo irrigated. Jlr ,). F. Arnold, M.P., introduced the deputation, which, he stated, rcpres2nto.l the Dunedin-branch of tlie Cromwell Irrigation League, Mr Arnold eaid tho deputation wished to make representations on the question of irrigating Central Otago, and moro particularly Cromwel Flat. There might be public men representing other parts of the Dominion who did not know tho country to which tho deputation would refer, asd in , consequence- they did not appreciate tho great potentialities of this district. There were 1000 acres of land in this part, unproductive at the present time, but if an irrigation fchemo could ho established by the Government it would bo found that tho land was capablo of producing almost everything. As a consequence, the freight on the railway would increase, and their city would bo benefited. ' Tho speaker ako congratulated Mr Carroll on the recent honour which had been conforred on him by his Majesty tho King.—(Applause.) Mr A. Bathgato sold that on 'behalf of tho Irrigation League ho wished to urge upon tho Government, 'through the Minister, tho desirability—ho might almost say tho necessity—of carrying out an ■irrigation- scheme in the Cromwell district. The' speaker referred to t'hc fact that the. Government had already started irrigation at Ida. Yolloy, but stated that the claims of. Cromwell in this direction wero even stronger, in that the latter place, ■ properly supplied with water, was eminently suited for very' closo settlement. The speaker said 'he had lived in Cromwell over. 40 years ago, and on the bank of tho.rivcr he; formed a small garden, aird the results obtained were sihrply amazing. Tho chief commodities grown there would no doubt bo fruit, but onions also Vhrovq- there amazingly,-and at tho present time they were importing larger quantities of onions from Tasmania, Australia, and California. It had been proposed by a Cromwell syndicate some- years ago to bring in water from\the -Rearing 'Meg • by .'gravis tation, but ''ttoe' . Government had thwarted them, thinking it de'sirablo that all water power should bo in its own hands. , Sinco then tho population of Cromwell had diminished, and industry, unfortunately, had been on the \rano. Various schemes had been suggested. Water raised bjr a gravitation scheme was wihat tho eynuicato had in view. If that wero adop'tcu and tho water of the Roaring Meg brought along over the Cromwell Flat tho water might first bo used for generating power -which might bo used in pumping water from the Kawarau on to tho other lands not in touch with tJie gravitation scheme. Tho speaker outlined soveral other echemes which might be adopted for bringing tho water in but said they were not there to advocate any epcoial plan. Ho believed tho Government had already received a report from one of its engineers, who had spent some time in tho district, and although demands had been made to find out what was in the report the information hod tofar been domed. The cry of the Cromwell people was: " Give us water." That cry they re-echoed as loudly as they could. It was sometimes cast up to them that the. Central railway was a costly blunder. Well, Jiho railway was there, and he (the speaker) considered it was tho duty of tne Government to do everything t'hat reasonably lay within its power to promote traffic in that locality. That could only be dono by making tho lands suitable for seMloment.-(Appla«£e.) Mr D. A. Jolly said tho RoanngMcg carried ono of (he finest water eapphte m Otago. On an average during tho driest season 18 Government heads wore running to waste into the Kawarau River. By a system of irrigation iho flat and terraces adjacent to Cromwell, containing about 7000 acres of land peculiarly adapted to fruit-growing, would bo brought into cultivation. Tho proposal was to cut tho flat up into 10-acro blocks, and it had been proved that this land, properly treated, would prove most productive. The speaker' said private investors had applied to tho court for tho water rights of tho Roaring Miag, bint tho Government in every caso had refused to grant a right. In 1910 Mr Young, tho Government engineer, had made an exhauetivo report on the sclieme, and tho Public Works Department had had his report for the yast nine months, but so far tho Cromwell League had been unablo to fret a copy of it. 'iho Hon. J. A. Millar had attended a public meeting of tho league at Cromwell, and had expressed himsalf as favourably impressed with tho Echemo. Ho had also promised to do all in his power to get tho matter under way at an early Sinco 1862 tho Government have received largo revenues from tho Cromwell district, whilo little or no publio money had been expended in return. Tho mining industry was languishing, and they now .looked to' try to settle tho people on tho hind. Mr Jolly concluded by asking, if tho Government was not prepared to give them a fayourablo answer, would it givo a private company tho right to bring in tho water and givo a subsidy of pour. 4 for l>ound, tho Government to rosuni-j iiio right at any time.—(Applause.) Mr S. N. Brown referred to tho fact that owing to tho want of land families woro being forced to leave tho Cromwell district. _ If an irrigation eclicmo wero gono in' for tho people in tho ■ district would havo 601110 object in keeping their families there, because thoy could find pleasant occupations for them, Tho speaker referred to the question of tho delayed engineer's report, and said ho did not think that the publio money should bo spent to provide tk-su reports and the people interested bo refused an opportunity of seeing whut wiia in thoin, Mr Brown spoko of tho ainaamr fertility of tho soil of Cromwell under tho bsneficent influence of water—given wntar, the land would booomo a yoritablo Garden of lidon, Mr Moritason mid ho lmd visited the district for tho laflt 20 years, and han recently paid a special visit tlioro to look into tho irrigation question. Ho liad propared a ooinprehonsivo eeheme of the coeta and returns from an irrigation scheme comprising tlxi land available iwrid Cromwell Flat to liannockburji bridge-, round to Ko-warau Gorge, and along. w>. tho Lowburn. JI« would ask the Minister to pcniEo tho oatimatea nt his leisure, and then laid tho papers on tho table. In replying, Sir James Carroll Baid ho had listened very attentively ta tho various 6peaktir6, and in his own humblo way ho

had tried to follow tho reasons which formed -tho subject of tho interview. Ho said ho had travelled through these southern parts of Iho Dominion for thft last fow days, and ho could toll them this—that ho was much impressed with them. Ho only regretted tho fact that ho had never had tho acquaintance and familiarity with tho country ami its resources before. However, tliat was his reprret. and it might bo their loss. They had nothing in the North Island liko what had been brought to his view in his travels down south. Tremendous tracts of level country, undulating for miles ami miles, mbt tho eye all round. Sir James Carroll said ho did not know Cromwell, and ho had never seen Control Otago. His colleague, how-ever,-tho Hon. Mr Millar, was very strong on tho question of irrigation, and ho had received a telegram from him telling him (tho' speaker) to give special attention to tho Cromwell claims that would bo represented to him. Ho thought they should not look at tho matter from a parochial point of viow, but from a higher onetliey should make it a national question. Everything that served to enrich our resources, to add to our volume of products, and helped tho different districts, must be a national question—it could not be- a local one. "Very well. How could it bo done ? They had to faco these problems —and this was a problom. It could only bo dono by tho employment of money spent on scientific lines—in the best way to mako that land rich in production. They had to borrow. This country hod to rely on borrowing for decades yet to come. And that was tho responsibility, to faco. So, then, tho Roaring Mog might bo trans■posed to a rearing opposition. Onoo they had to faoo a question of borrowing money for this, ho said thoy hid got to barrow. "Southland will beat you,, lclt alone—Southland will boat Otago, , ' said tho speaker, because Nature ha.s boon mere lavish thoie— Nature had been kinder. If, however, they got their areas in Central Otago properly brought into cultivation and made i-icJi by irrigation, 'then their prospects would brighten. And why should it not bo dono? " I am with you, and I will lielp you." They must give tho pcoplo-somo ground on which to settle, and they must borrow money for the.special rmrposa of irrigating the waste country. It was no good mincing matters—they had to" borrow to do it. They. must make it n national, not a. provincial,, question. * Thero -w«ro people in the country who hold up their hands in horror at tho'idea of borrowing , money because they wanted to claim a cheap notoriety. If money could be tpent to improve or. assist to make this country • produce threo blades of grass where nono existed'at thi; present time, it was money Veil epect. They had' to do something for posterity. Some people spoke about Ifio national debt, forgetting .the gepd results being obtained from it. . He said he was certain that, irrigation was what was wanted for the whole of that country. As far as be was concerned, ,khey would not find a, btronger supporter of that policy than himself. He did not want to be a diplomat and trivo them a lot for nothing,' ■but he would 'tay there, straight from his own heart, that ho was behind thorn in' this, and ho would help tho proposal along. Tho speakor went on to refer to tho desirability of New Zeulnnders working- ■tojff'thor for tho advancement of (ho' country as a whole, and if they had to borrow nwncy he did not wunt them to turn round to-morrow and say they wore an extravagant Government, There was nothing liko dealing face to fare with these matters. The speaker conoludod by saying they would havo his help in tho proposed scheme. ' ■ . _ . Mr M. Cohen said he considered tho people should know what wero tho communications from tho engineer. If it wero a favourable report, so much the better; if unfavourable, thon tho people should bo given an opportunity of answering it. They were , tired talking of irrigation, and looked to -the Minister to sco that action was taken, Mr Arnold then thanked the Minister, and tho Reputation withdrew.

OTAGO CENTRAL RAILWAY. Mr Arnold thon introduced a deputation from tho Otago Central Railway League. Ho said all tho representatives of i'afliainent in this part of tho Doinniion had recognis-.-d that tho railways were an important question, and while the North Island Main Trunk lino was being constructed they had been always, prepared to assist, realising that it was for tho bsnelit of the whole community, But this lino had been completed, and they folt that attention should now bo - given to tho Otago Central lino. He said ho was quite satisfied that tho construction of that line was justified, and that the revenue from it had been doubled during the last two or throo years. Ho was quite sure that if irrigation were gono on with the linewould immediately bo a success. To bring in a return for tho expenditure it was absolutely necessary that tho lino should bo token up so that it could tap tho country round tho Hawea district. The Mayor (Mr W. Burnett), president of tho Central Otago Railway League, said that 22 years ugo thia railway was to have been 'pushed ne far as Cromwell, and he knew men who had token up land thcro on this promise. They did not iwant tho Government to borrow money for this' railway, but ho considered tho Government might givo them a share of tho last loan of £5,000,000 to help to carry on tho lino, say £100,000. Tho Central, lino, seen through North Island speotaoles, was considored a waoto of money, but tho lino had novf'bcen btratcd and it waa no uso le-iving it half-way—it must bo completed, tho 6amo as any othor railway tho country undertook to con. struct. Sir James Carroll, in reply, Raid, us far as ho was concerned, he would do what ho could. Ono man, however, could not do ovorything.

THE ELECTORAL ACT. A further deputation of Port Chalmers gwitlt'imm was tJion introduced to Sir James Carroll by Mr Arnold. They wished to draw his attention to certain anomalies in the ElectoniJ Act. Tho Rev. Mr Head road tho clauso of tho act to which thoy took objection, as follows:—" For tho purposo of acquiring a quaJiu'cation as a.n elector ho shall bo doomed to reside in Now Zealand during tho time hn is engaged in n.ny ship owned or registered in Now Zealand. Tho speaker quoted tho caea of a steamer which had arrived .from England during lost "election,'-tho orow of which claimed tho right to vote, These- m<m woro not residents of the Dominion, und had not great interest in its welfare. Ho hopod that an Amendment of Iho net cm aid ba introduced , which would limit lie soopo. An ordinary elector or Immigrant had to bo 12 months in the country before ho secured tho privilege of taking part In any oloction. Hero wore men, howovor, who had homes in London, and yet they had the privilege of coming hero anil ovjomiswi tho right of cittMiv Tho; tali

that this was an injustice. ' Local option was practically local teif-govommont given to any ono district, and they held that any reform that might be suggested should bo settled by that district. It socinrd an anomaly, said tho speaker, that mon living 14,000 miles away should bo ablo to influence any reform in this part of tho Dominion. Sir Jamra Carroll, in reply, eatd ho would lay tho matter beforo'his colleagues, representing to them tho views that had been expressed.