WAYSIDE NOTES.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 414, 21 April 1904, Page 5

WAYSIDE NOTES.

'[BT m SXAICSUGHT. n J What price Central Otago with irrigation 1 Thus queries Mr H.D. Bed« ford, M.H.R., who, in writing to the Otago Daily Times on the "conquest of the American desert," extols the magnificent effats of the United States government, as well as the efforts of private enterprise, in reclaiming from sterility to productiveness thousands of acres o! waste land. The almost •• measureless deserts" traversed by Dunedin's senior member reminded him of Central Otago, through which he passed a year ago. Large areas of this " measureless desert," once sterile, were now, under the magic influence of water, abundantly productive. Clearly, the Government of the United States do something for their people, in settling them on the arid places of the country. They harness the mighty rivers, and carry the water through mountains in mighty tunnels, across valleys on mighty acqueducts, and for hundreds of miles across the desert in extensive canals from which it ia 4is« tribute! to the farms through ditches measuring thousands of miles in length. Millions of acres have yet to be reclaimed from sterility, and it is going to be done. Mr Bedford cites one portion of 300,000 acres, which two years ago wa» part of * Death's Valley,' and which now "blossoms with fruit and grain" Here a new city is •pringingnp at the rate of sixty new inhabit tants per day.

Mr Bedford haa bad an object lesson on a stupendous sale presented to bis view. A modified form of that object lesson is most urgently needed in OR> tralOtagc. If the hon, gentleman will bat cany some what of ma enthusiasm over this lesson into the House of Parliament, and imbue the Premier with a teste for for irritation purposes, then the future proa* Jirity of Central Otago will be assured. Here we have thousands of acres of jßoat fertile land lying arid and waste, waiting bat the magic influence of stater to make it the most productive 3 hnj ip the colony. Not only have we the land, bat we have also the water flowing past our very doors in thousands of miiliona of gallons an hoar. Have we not in the colony some engigeer sufficiently advanced in the science of his profession as to be able to devise acme means of utilising the awful waste of water and eostgyncv permitted I Sorely we have; Wf if out Government lacks the %m or incanation to help the people, then the peontonmy of having: Central Otag© for pastures new aseoon as the dredging industry begins to wane.

Speaking of water bads me to some thoughts on our Borough OoaneilU leemingly abortive attempt to supply; •rater, fit for domestic one, to the sot- \ ferine ratepayers. I use the word all its lion. Have they not suffered • "Yes," they exclaim with one unanimous race. Have our feelings not been lacerated with the whips and scorns of our neighbours! Have our tempers not been controlled only by a superhuman effort, when our better halfs have hv dignantly. pointed to the household linen, which should have been white, but is now dyed a brownish yellow, which no amount of washing will ever efface, for every fibre of its texture is impregnated with some of thewfoseof Stockyard Gully t Have we not felt the big swear words rising to the tip of the tongue and rolling backward into the throat, as we turned the bath tap And watched the thick malodorous Staff, called "water fit for domestic ose," accumulating in the bath 9 Have eui pockets not aufferedt Tea; but sot as yet to the same extent as they will yet suffer. In thiamatfer of suffering we are ' a' John Tamson' bairn*.* f Sven our worthy councillors bear a a ejeight of suffering and obUouy on. -> dreamt of in their hours of ease.

. • » • J • I know that, as a stimulus to a man, an ounes of criticism m * ssorthapoond ef praise, which is near ef kin to flattery, Opinions differ. galea say our eouncfllors are most HHitVui men and knew what they were doing. Did they I Did the experts not glamour them over with their asientifie reasonings and lead them to throw into the scale of philosophy their Ommcp sense? I will not say they ""'■ did this, as I was not present at the Council meetings to hear the reasonings ; nor has any one of the councillors told the ratepayers from the public platform what induced them to act as they did. Will they come forward and tell us now! I ask not from vulgar curiosity, but from a desire to have satisfied the public thirst for M I want to know, you know,"