Irrigation Scheme Approved

Press, Volume C, Issue 29515, 17 May 1961, Page 16

Irrigation Scheme Approved

(From Our Own Reporter)

WELLINGTON, May 16.

Government approval in principle for the Upper Waitaki irrigation scheme was announced today by the Minister of Works (Mr Goosman).

“This is the first approval given under a new and realistic policy,” Mr Goosman said. “That policy was embodied in the Public Works Amendment Act, 1960. It was recommended by the Parliamentary Select Committee on Irrigation, a body w hich during its previous term of office this Government had determined to appoint.”

“I believe that irrigation, wisely carried out, holds out wonderful prospects, not just for the Upper Waitaki, but for the whole of the very extensive areas of irrigable land in Central Otago, and elsewhere. “The final decision on a scheme, however, rests with the settlers concerned. They will have to vote on it, and I have given explicit instructions that before they do vote they must be given a detailed account of all the factors involved. Departmental officers will tell the upper Waitaki farmers interested in this scheme the whole story.” Mr Goosman said that although irrigation brought very great benefits, those benefits had to be earned by an investment of both money and hard work on the part of the settler himself. The Government would be

responsible for the capital cost, but one-quarter of it would be regarded as .a loan on which interest would be charged. This charge, all operating costs, and maintenance and renewal costs were all taken into account in determining charges the settlers would have to pay to make the scheme selfsupporting. CO Per Cent If more than 60 per cent, of the votes cast were in favour of the upper Waitaki scheme an irrigation district would be constituted. All settlers within this district, would then be subject to a compulsory charge which would entitle them to receive 11 inches of water. Additional water, up to 22 inches, would be available. The proposed compulsory charge would be graduated over a 10-year development period. In an outline of the scheme, Mr Goosman said that initially a gravity race 19 miles long would take water from Lake Waitaki to serve some 3420 acres in an area between Kurow and Duntroon. It was proposed to make the main race and intake structures big enough to cope with a probable future extension to 4500 acres and the initial capital cost would be £194,000.