IRRIGATION AND EROSION

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23322, 4 October 1945, Page 4

IRRIGATION AND EROSION

South Canterbury Interest Works Vote Discussed (N.Z.P.A.) WELLINGTON, Oct. 3. The vote of £2,066,000 for the maintenance of public works and services afforded members an opportunity to discuss many works projects of particular interest to their electorates when the House of Representatives continued the discussion of the Estimates after reassembling to-day. The Hon. R. Semple said the work of draining Lake Ellesmere into Lake I Forsyth and then making a cut through to the sea was interrupted by the war. There were several million | yards of shingle to shift, and it had not yet been decided how to tackle the job. The department was not yet in a position to send super-dragline machinery down there. Mr Semple said that one of the major problems in the country was river erosion, and he had all the faith in the world in dragline machinery being able to clear the mouths of the rivers and provide a premanent solution to the flooding problem. This type of machinery was the best in the world and the two in New Zealand were the only ones in the Southern Hemisphere. A third one was being negotiated for, and each cost £25,000. Replying to Mr T. L. Macdonald (National, Mataura) Mr Semple said Britain would be given preference when new machinery was bought. The Rev. Clyde Carr (Government. Timaru) said he thought the Minister had agreed that the only way to control the rivers was from the source down rather than from the mouth up. If the velocity of the rivers was increased, surely all the best soil would be carried out to sea. He hoped the Minister in keeping the mouths of the rivers clear, would not lose sight of the importance of restoring the natural cover of the watersheds, otherwise, he said, the cure would be worse than the disease. Level of Taupo Mr G. F. Sim (National, Rotorua) and Mr M. H. Oram (National, Manawatu) drew attention to the item of £12.000 for the removal of Tokaanu township, which Mr Oram said had been made necessary by the ill-starred work of raising the level of Lake Taupo which had already created much expense in other directions. Mr Semple said Tokaanu was to be shifted to Turangi, and he hoped shortly to visit the locality with the Government town-planner and the Minister of Internal Affairs in order to reach a final decision on the new layout of the town. The sum on the Estimates was a portion only of the

expenditure that would be involved. The Minister added that the raising of the level of Lake Taupo had been more than worth while. Every foot by which the level was raised represented an additional £200,000 worth of power which could be harnessed, and in view of the shortage which had obtained every increase in power production was warranted. Every stream in the North Island which could be harnessed would eventually have to be used if the North Island’s power needs were to be met. Answering Mr Clyde Carr, Mr Semple said he had frequently asserted that reafforestation must go hand in hand with soil conservation, but when we had rivers which were doing enormous damage we could not leave them unchecked until trees grew on the hills in their watershed. Other measures were necessary to afford immediate relief in eroded areas. Rangitata Scheme Mr F. Langstone (Government, Walmarino) said the 'irrigation scheme which took water from the Rangitata River to Rakaia, syphoning the water under intermediate rivers on the way, was a wonderful engineering achievement which must inevitably benefit not only the nation as a whole but particularly those whose land would benefit from irrigation. He asked if the department possessed the power to recoup a portion of its expenditure on this or similar works. If it did not have that legislative right already, then the necessary power should be taken. Mr Semple replied that the scheme was designed to irrigate 450,000 acres of land, and the total production of land which benefited had been increased five times. “This represents a tremendous value to the nation from the production point of view,” said Mr Semple, adding that more land was thus provided for settlement. Where there were at present hundreds there ought to be thousands. What nad to be guarded against was a land boom and speculation in the area on which thousands of pounds had. been spent for the benefit of the country. Thousands of people, he declared, would be attracted there. The vote was passed.