IRRIGATION SCHEMES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24430, 16 October 1940, Page 4

IRRIGATION SCHEMES

VALUE FOR REHABILITATION SUPPORT FOR UPPER CLUTHA PLAN The value of irrigation schemes in the rehabilitation of returned soldiers was stressed at a meeting of the Otago Provincial Council of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union yesterday, and. although it was stated by the Minister that it would not be possible to proceed with the Maniototo and Upper Clutha schemes during the war, it was decided to ask him to have an investigation of the Upper Clutha proposal carried out.

Advice that he did not think it possible to do anything during the war in regard to the Maniototo and Upper Clutha irrigation schemes was contained in a letter from the Minister of Public Works (Mr R, Semple), who said that it would not be possible to get the schemes into operation for at least three years so that they would not assist in increasing war-time production. The Minister also pointed out that it was not possible to obtain the necessary materials without further embarrassing overseas exchange, and the department could not make available the qualified men,

Mr R. S. Thompson, who presided, said that one important aspect of the scheme that had been overlooked by the Minister m his reply was the rehabilitation of soldiers. An irrigation scheme such as the ones proposed would be one of the most useful schemes for placing returned soldiers on the land. It had been proved that the most successful settlement scheme was the one that was closely settled, and an irrigation scheme would make this possible. Even though it would take three years to get the scheme into working order, and there were difficulties in the way they would offer an excellent opportunity for the rehabilitation of soldiers. In the Maniototo scheme 81.000 acres were concerned, and there were 14,000 acres in the Upper Clutha scheme. Mr B. A. Todd (Kyeburn) said that the Minister’s scheme seemed conclusive. and it appeared that they would have to drop the bigger scheme. The Maniototo land was good sheep country now, and it did not offer itself to irrigation so well as the Upper Clutha area.

Mr D. H. Cockburn (Queenstown) stated that he did not think there would be much difficulty in the Upper Clutha scheme and the chief cost would be in the labour. The idea was to use Lake Hawea.

The chairman said that the Upper Clutha scheme had never been properly investigated.

On the motion of Mr Todd, seconded by Mr Cockburn, it was decided that a letter be written to the Minister pointing out the value of the irrigation schemes for the rehabilitation of soldiers, and asking him to carrv out a full investigation of the Upper Clutha scheme.