IRRIGATION SCHEMES IN CANTERBURY

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 104, 26 January 1935, Page 14

IRRIGATION SCHEMES IN CANTERBURY

Hon. J. Bitchener’s Interest NECESSARY TO PROCEED CAUTIOUSLY By Telegraph—Press Association. Christchurch, January 25. To acquaint himself more fully with the irrigation experiments in MUCanterbury and to discuss methods, results and costs with farmers and departmental officers, tlie Hon. J. Bitchener, Minister of Public Wojks, visited the Seafield Experimental Farm to-day, and later met members of the Ashburton County Council to hear their proposals for small irrigation works near Ashburton. Mr. Bitchener said that he had had 14 years’ experience of irrigation, mainly in Otago Central, the home of irrigation in New Zealand. Many of the Otago Central schemes bad proved successful, particularly’ those for small areas of land, but many had been entirely unsuccessful. These failures had thrown something of a cloud over irrigation in this country, but it couid be said that the Government had learnt a great deal from them. “I am glad to hear your suggestions for small block irrigation in this dis trict, ’’ said the Minister. “People on the land have still much to learn about irrigirtfon, and they must first be educated up to the proper use of water, and to the costs and advantages of using it. Experience and investigations in this part of the country will be of immense benefit to us in the future, but it is necessary for us to proceed cautiously. Money Well Spent. “I have heard a lot of criticism about the surveys carried out here, but I consider the money well spent. Besides, the collected data will always be on record and available to irrigators.” Replying to a deputation, -Mr. Bitchener said he had been extraordinarily Interested in the Seafield experiments. He had read and heard much about them, but he had never seen them before to-day. After visiting Seafield he could say, as a farmer, that there were no doubts about the advantages of spreading water over such land, but the cost of the work must always be considered. Most of the irrigation works in Otago Central had been started- in boom times and the farmers had found that they could not pay .their water rates. Mr. Bitchener did not want anything like that to be repeated. - “As for irrigation in Canterbury,” he added, “I shall have no hesitation in putting the position before the Government and in finding out what money there may be available. Ashburton is one of the places we would begin with, but I would not support any works on a large scale. We would be wise to do as you suggest and begin with small schemes before launching out into anything too expensive.”