POWER AND IRRIGATION
HARNESSING THE MOLYNEUX
POTENTIALITIES v STRESSED (F.0.P.R.) WELLINGTON. Aug. 31, The Government was spending millions of pounds in many directions, but he considered that no scheme in New Zealand would show a better return than the harnessing of the River. Molyneux, said Mr J. A. Roy (Oppn., Clutha), speaking in the Budget debate in the House of Representatives to-day. The area incorporating the electorates of Central Otago and Clutha, he added, offered scope for one of the finest development schemes in the Dominion, if not in the southern hemisphere Mr Roy said he had studied irrigation schemes in America, notably the Tennessee Valley scheme, and was of the opinion that the Central Otago and Clutha districts were ideal for similar development, being potentially one of the richest areas in the Dominion if proper irrigation were obtained. The difficulties of flood control, reclamation of land, and so on were manifold, and last February the district had suffered one of the most disastrous floods in its history. If the necessary dams were erected in the Molyneux a tremendous amount of hydro-electric energy could be generated, Mr Roy said. Hydro-electricity was essential in the development of any area. If the valuable lands in the lower region of? the district were protected and then other schemes of irrigation and hydro-electricity carried out, this could be one of the richest areas in the Dominion. Mr Roy thanked the Minister of Works, Mr R. Semple, and his staff for the splendid work they had carried out during the floods. He said he realised that there had been a lot of unfair criticism and took the opportunity of again acknowledging the debt the district owed to Mr Semple’s activities. At the same time he urged on him to go on with the development of the whole of the scheme in that area. He knew the Minister was sympathetic.
Mr Semple: Our engineers are inspecting the whole of the locality to find out what is the best-and most scientific way of dealing with the issues.
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Bibliographic details
Otago Daily Times, Issue 25937, 1 September 1945, Page 6
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340POWER AND IRRIGATION Otago Daily Times, Issue 25937, 1 September 1945, Page 6
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