IRRIGATION.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18233, 18 November 1924, Page 3

IRRIGATION.

WHAT IT HAS DONE IN N.Z. What was described as "the feature of the Parliamentary delegation's visit to Cradock, South Africa," was an interesting speech on the benefits of irrigation, what it had done in Now Zealand, and what it would do for South Africa, delivered by Mr Jas. Horn, M.P., for Wakatinu, during the inspection of the Grass llidge Dam, near Crad'ock. Mr Horn, who was chairman of tho Vincent County Council—one of the largest councils in New Zealand—lias travelled round the world studying irrigation, . and his speech created a deep impression. He told how that in the South Island an area of 75 niiles square, with only twelve inches of rainfail per annum,' was being nut under irrigation. The Government there had spent over £IOO,OOO per annum for ten years, and five schemes were now finished.

Eight other schemes had to. be carried out to complete the irrigation of, the whole -.area. These schemes ran from five thousand up to half a million acres. What is attempted is in accordance with, the American " svstem to .augment the twelve inches of rain by a further fifteen inches, bringing it up to twenty-seven. The finished schemes had shown marvellous results, and ro far as he had at present seen, South Africa he judged that irrigation was the only thing that was going' to make the country. He believed that the country had any' amount of watfcr in the higher veld, where one valley'could be filled, which would be sufficient-to irrigate ,ten other valleys.. In New Zealand, when any pqrt of the country is. proclaimed. a water area, if people desire it, the Government will provide money, and the scheme is worked out on a 30 years' basis. During the first-year the settler gets water for nothing, to give him an opportunity of fencing the ground and preparing the seed. In'the second year he is charged at the rate of one shilling per acre, the third year two, the fourth year four, and then up to eight shillings. Then he goes up to the maximum, whatever the figure. Including the distribution of "expenses, the average works out at" 12s 6d per acre. The speaker gavQ . a striking incident of a friend of his who had 306 acres under one of these schemes. Before irrigation he was only able to boast of two teams .of horses, three or four cows, and fifty slaughter sheep, and had' to get his living by contracting .to ; make ! roads.- Since:irrigation lve r had' been running- 1700 sheep, about- 40 milking, cows, a. team of horses, , had /fourteeii' ' lucemo^/"ea'cli; as big' as one- oi . your.; riuiway coaches," said the speaker in it subsequent conversation. In addition, this farmer during one year had. sold 1100 fat lambs at 325; 6d per piece. f'This is simply," declared Mr Horn, "to show what we are doing in New' Zealand. Before the ■ land was irrigated the average was ' four acres to carry one shepp. < To-day it was five to seven sheep or dne cow per acre. Careful calculation had shown that it took one pound oi lucerne hay, without other to feed one sheep; per day, or 101b for a beast. That might seem small, declared the speaker, but it was giving admirable results.Land costing 35s to 75s per acre in New Zealand, the speaker • added, would, before the 30 years were up, be worth £IOO per acre. ' • The South African and New Zealand systems were much alike, the cost of the dams being practically the /same. "I venture to say that in ten-years' time from now you will have ten .times the. population that you haye at present. You can't possibly irrigate it .'all, apd it will . pay ' very large owners. to cut their land up and lease or sell to some other-.people, and therefore you are going to have a large population in ,this Fish River Valley. And if you go, in for a national scheme of irrigation to feed your " railways, and your enterprise, I venture to say that in. 15 years' time you will have one of the greatest Dominions in. the British Empire. ' It. behoves the nation to put its shoulder to the wheel and work in unity, and I make bold to say this little scheme here is going to be an education to the whole of South Africa."