IRRIGATION.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20276, 10 April 1934, Page 9

IRRIGATION.

Importance of Continued . Experiments. APPEAL TO LOCAL BODIES. Strong support for the continuation of the irrigation experiments in Canterbury was expressed at this morning’s meeting of the Board of Governors of the Canterbury Agricultural College. It was resolved to urge local bodies to *bring the matter before the Government in such a manner that the valuable Results already achieved should not be allowed to go for nothing. but should be maintained to a definite conclusion. The chairman, Dr H. G. Denham, said that they had all been impressed with the results of the experiments. Though they were not yet convinced that irrigation would be a paying proposition, yet such valuable data had already come to hand that in about two years' time it should be possible to judge whether the productivity of certain areas of Canterbury could be materially increased by irrigation. The college, he considered, might take a more active part in furthering the experimental work at Seafield, and elsewhere, though it could not give direct financial assistance. The board’s officers had alreadv rendered whatever assistance lay in their power. All possible assistance should be given in the raising of funds for the continuation of the work. Lack of Funds.

It seemed, continued Dr Denham, that the whole work was sadly cramped for lack of funds. No department appeared sufficiently convinced that irrigation definitely came within its scope of authority, nor, indeed, had sufficient work been done to justify the belief that a sure return from irrigation was bound to follow. At the same time, possibilities were so promising that the experiments already carried out could not be sacrificed. If the public bodies of Canterbury could get together a fund with which to approach the Government, the Government could hardly refuse to assist with a subsidy, especiallv as so manv other parts of New Zealand were likely to benefit by the application of irrigation. The following resolution was supported unanimously:—

That this board is deeply appreciative of the work that has been done on the irrigation area at Seafield, and strongly urges the public bodies of Canterbury to make every endeavour to carry on this work, if possible to an extended degree, for a period of at least five years, in order to decide whether the general application of controlled irrigation would be a payable proposition in many of the farm lands of Canterbury.”