IRRIGATION

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20895, 26 November 1937, Page 8

IRRIGATION

RESULTS ENTIRELY SATISFACTORY OBJECTIONS ANSWERED There are few subjects on which farmers are more divided than they are on the question of irrigation; some are most enthusiastic, while others foresee all forms of dire calamities should Irrigation works be established in their district. One objection raised is to the effect that farming would be done under the supervision of a Government official, and irrigating would have to be done whether the farmer wanted it or not. That contention, however, was proved erroneous when the subject of irrigation was referred to Mr R. McGillivray, Fields Superintendent of the Department of Agriculture, Christchurch, during a visit to Fairlie on Wednesday. As far as irrigation had gone, Mr McGillivray said, it had been a complete success. The farmers at Redcliff had not yet got into their stride, but the watering of the land was proceeding most satisfactorily. There was going to be a very great increase in the number of stock carried and a development of lucerne growing.

At the Levels, there was a considerable number of farmers irrigating, Mr McGillivray stated, and so far as he could see, the results were extremely good. He saw one lucerne area which had been watered eight days before, and it had a growth up to eight Inches, whereas the unwatered part had not commenced to grow. One area of 86 acres of very light land under irrigation was carrying 1000 sheep, of which about 400 were hoggets. The sheep looked well and there was plenty of feed. Without irrigation, it would have been impossible to obtain grazing on that area at the present time.

With reference to the objections raised about supervision, Mr McGillivray explained that they had no solid foundation, as assistance was only given under request. The instructor did not go on to farm lan-’ untu he was asked to do so. The farmer was free to irrigate and get plenty of feed, or leave irrigation alone and see his irrigating neighbour get all the feed. Canterbury experienced too many dry seasons to do without Irrigation, and he was convinced that within five years there would be a different outlook on the subject, and that all the farmers on the dry soils would be asking for water.