OTAGO AND ITS NEEDS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 846, 18 June 1910, Page 8

OTAGO AND ITS NEEDS.

Writing of tlio pre-sessional addresses recently delivered by Otago members, the Tapamii says not ono of them touched on tho most important question of all in Otago—the shrinkage of population in tho province. In the 'sixties and 'seventies Otago was the wealthiest and most populous province in New Zealand. In recent years it had lost 20,000 people, duo, tho "Courier" says, firstly to tho decadenco of gold mining, which once employed a very largo plumber of men, and later to tho aggregation of farms. It is noticeable, adds our contemporary, that since tho early days of settlement in the counties of Tuapolsa and Clutlia, for instance, fully 50 per cent, of tho original selectors have sold out, in most cases to neighbours; and instead of .200-aoro farms—which were supposed to bo largo enough to maintain families—many _of tho holdings now comprise anything- from 400 to 1000 acres. Continuing, tho "Courier" says:—- > " ''Government is to a great extent to blamo for tho loss of Otago's population, as the Central irrigation works and moro encouragement to nulling might have saved the situation. Successive Ministries, promised irrigation to Central Otago, but none fulfilled their promises; and now tho; Central areas resemble in many places tho desert of Sahara. According to tho Minister of Agriculture, tho runs in tho dry region were to get a rest _of one or two years to allow tho native grasses to recover; but even this promise was not kept. The great areas of Morvcn Hills, Kawarau Station, etc., were re-leased, and the stock sold by the retiring ruiiholders immediately placed back on tire hills by tho • now lessees. No country in the world could be moro easily 'irigated than tho plains between Wanaka and Cromwell, tho Dunstan, , 'Mariiototo, and other large tracts of level land would yield three crops of'lucerne iiay per annum, and product fruit and food in unlimited quantities if. water could be- .obtained for the thirsty soil. "Neither Government nor private individuals will, however, undertake tho. work of irrigation, and thus what was onco a fair and promising province is rapidly . being depleted of population, and its lands unoccupied. Then there i 3 the- noxious weed and hedge plant evil. On tho goldfields in the centre of tho provinco thousands upon thousands of .acres, especially in Tuapeka Comity, are given over to ( noxious plants and, rabbits, as sheep 'cannot live in ..such country. Otago's present position is not a pleasant ono to contemplate by any means. Every census shows a lessening number of people, and tho loss of two members of Parliaments less than a decade points a moral. Waihemo and Mount Ida went in 1008, and yet another electorate is doomed after tho census of April, 1911-." ■-.■'.-