D.—l.

XI

points in their upper reaches. One of the reservoirs will have a capacity of approximately 1,400 million cubic feet. The others, though not of such large proportions, will still be of very considerable extent, the total area of water impounded being 2,887 acres of varying depths up to 78 ft. As the rainfall in this region has in the past shown remarkable fluctuations, being in the years of greatest precipitation as much as two and a half times that of other years, it is probable that the dams which will be constructed will not till all at once, and possibly not for a year or two ; but when once filled there will be a large surplus from wet seasons available to assist during dry years. With the water available we expect to irrigate about 16,000 acres by gravitation. It will be possible, by pumping up the surplus water which will run off after the irrigation of the higher parts of the valley, to irrigate a second block situated lower down the valley; and, after some years of constant application of large bodies of water have caused the ground-water level throughout the valley to rise, a third area may even be served by pumping from the same source. As the water is being brought from the Manorburn into the Ida Valley district it falls, in one case, 220 ft. in a distance of 13 chains. This would be a good site for a hydro-electric-power station, from which power could be transmitted and used in pumping water from the Manuherikia River to irrigate a further section of the Ida Valley. The Cromwell Flat is a locality for the irrigation of which there has been an agitation for many years. The water of the Roaring Meg has been retained by the Government, and can be used by direct gravitation to serve practically the whole flat; and although, owing to the extreme porosity of the soil, it may be necessary to pipe a great many of the distributaries, the scheme has promising features. The landowners will be invited to enter into the agreements required by the Public Works Act, with a view to this scheme being authorized at an early date. The water-rights of the Last Chance Gold-mining Company have been purchased, which will render water available for the irrigation of such country as is suitable in the locality of Bald Hill Flat. The flat ground between Clyde and Alexandra, also the Moutere Flat and the Galloway Flat, for the irrigation of which there has been a great deal of local agitation, can probably be served from the Manuherikia River, and without expensive impounding-reservoirs. The irrigation of the Maniototo Plain is also being considered. With the water that could be impounded in the Serpentine Reservoir (10,000 million cubic feet) it would be possible to irrigate at least 65,000 acres of land, after making a liberal allowance for probable loss by evaporation, seepage, and waste; and, in the conveyance of this water from the reservoir to the land to be irrigated, power to the extent of about 9,000-horse power can be generated, which could be transmitted electrically to pump residual water to irrigate a further area, or used for industrial purposes. Coming now to the work which has been actually accomplished : The first scheme to be completed was the irrigation of the Steward Settlement, an area of over 21,000 acres lying immediately south of the Waitaki River. The water for this area is taken from the Waitaki, a never-failing source of supply, and led by means of a branching system of distributaries so as to command every section (except one small one) on the settlement. In carrying out the scheme, sixty-three miles of races were constructed, ranging from 18 in. to 12 ft. in width. To reduce the fall and prevent scour, forty-two masonry overfalls were constructed, and the races, where they run'over terraces, varying in height from 5 ft. to 30 ft., have been lined with concrete. Though the bulk of the races were not constructed in time for last year's harvest, a few of the settlers were able to make use of the water towards the end of the season, and the effect upon the crops was excellent. A portion of the Otekaike Settlement on the western side of the Otekaike River, and lying between the foothills and the Waitaki River, was surveyed, and a scheme of irrigation drawn up and put in hand. The whole of the main race, five miles in length, has been finished, and the major part of the distributaries