RIVER TRUST WORKS.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20492, 10 March 1932, Page 14

RIVER TRUST WORKS.

IRRIGATION SCHEME. EMPLOYMENT FOR 700 MEN. Arrangements have been, made with the Unemployment Board for the Waimakariri River 'Trust to .employ 530 relief workers continuously for six months, and 150 for 12 months. : This statement was made at yesterday's meeting of the Trust by the chairman (Mr J. Wood). The Trust also decided to approve of an experimental irrigation scheme. Reporting on the scheme of relief work, the Resident Engineer (Air H\Y\ Harris) stated "The suggested scheme for employment of relief workers has been approved by the Unemployment Board, but at date no notification has been received as to the amount of. wages the' men will receive. Preparations are -.in progress to have camps, etc., ready for starting the men at the beginning of April; one of the new camps will be established at Ihe.-hcad of. Coutts Island. "In connexion with the proposals regarding irrigation of land, which are being discussed as a possible avenue for unemployment relief, I would suggest to the Trust that they have large areas of land included in the reserves which would very readily resptmd to irrigation. Should any of these leases revert back to the Trust at any time in the near future, the matter would be worthy of consideration, or possibly some s mutiial arrangement could be reached between the tenants and the Trust. .At first hought, the light gravelly soil, of which large areas of the reserves consist, would appear to be unproductive, but with cultivation and moisture, good results could be obtained, especially io. the way of converting scab-weed areas into lucerne paddocks." On the motion of Mr A. Manhire, it was deeded to sot aside 100 acres of land for the purpose of carrying out irrigation experiments Supply of Water. In reply to a question, the engineer (Mr H. W. Harris) stated that arrangements could no doubt be made to obtain 'the necessary water from the Paparua County Council by the use or a water race. Mr IL O. Dixon said that he had discussed the matter with Mr R. T. Bailey/officer in charge of the. Labour Department, who was in favour of such a scheme.. The engineer was instructed to prepare a survey of the land to enable the work, to be proceeded with. "Will we need permission to get the water?" asked Mr Dixon. "Xo. we have the necessary power under our own Act," replied the chairman (Mr J. Wood). "The Waimalcariri River Trust can override anything," commented Mr V. P. Spencer jocularly. "'We can take the water- we need from the river : if- necessary, and say nothing .about it," said the cnairman.; The chairman of-the Finance Oomr mittee (Mr A. Manhire) and the Resi-dent-Engineer (Mr H-. W. Harris) were appointed to represent the Trust at the forthcoming -conference on unemployment, called by'the: Town Planning Institute.