The Evening Star MONDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1928. IRRIGATION CRISIS.

Evening Star, Issue 19801, 27 February 1928, Page 6

The Evening Star MONDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1928. IRRIGATION CRISIS.

The intensity of the interest/ taken throughout Central Otago in the irrigation question was proved on the occasion of Mr J. R. Marks s address at Alexandra on Friday night, the largo hall was thronged, the seating accommodation proving altogether inadequate. Furthermore, when it is realised that many of those present had travelled long distances—in some eases nearly fdty miles—in the hope that some light might be thrown on a matter of vital community and individual interest, and that some prospect of redress for deeply-felt wrongs would bo held out, it must he conceded that the movement ior a Royal Commission of inquiry has real weight behind it. The petitions asking for that Coinmission have been in circulation for some time, and it is no breach of confidence to state now that, when they arc presented to the Ministers of the Crown who are to assemble in Dunedin later in the week, they will be as nearly 100 per cent, representative (we speak more particularly of the ono for signature exclusively by irrigation settlers) as any petition in history. Nothing short of a competent and impartial inquiry will satisfy those concerned, and the burning desire to gain some fmthei information on the subject in the interval between signing the petition and its presentation to the Minister must bo taken as the chief reason lor the attendance on Friday night. It must be confessed that that desire was not .satisfied. Never once did MiMarks cither talio his hearers completely into his confidence or really get to the kernel of the matter. He merely skirted round the fringe of a number of points which arc matters oi serious and lasting dispute between the purveyors and the purchasers of water -•i.c." between the Public Works Department and the irrigationists. Mr Marks read a number of extracts from articles which we have published concerning the administration ol iiligation, and gave them a categorical denial. His denials were promptly challenged ou the spot by a number of the settlers—which is not surprising, see* mg that the information on which our articles was based was obtained at first-hand from the settlers themselves, and wherever time permitted was verified by visits of inspection to the inipation areas and the races supplying Llieni. So genera! did the cross-fire become that the meeting conceded the reasonableness of the chairman’s request that questions be postponed until the close of the address. But. when that opportunity at length came. Hie putting and answering of questions was prematurely cut short by the chairman singling out, from a number of people who were simultaneously on their teet on the floor of t.lxo hall, ono gentleman who proposed a vote of thanks to the lecturer. Thus was the chance of a ventilation of grievances postponed for the time being. And perhaps it was just as well, for by then the hoar was late, and the circumstances were such that only the past could have been raked over and no guarantee could have been given of any change of heart or of policy in the administration of irrigation. The net result of the moeting"was really to reveal to irrigationists on settlements widely separated geographically how much they have in common in the matter ol the treatment that has been meted out to them by the Public Works Department, and to consolidate their ranks in the light for an investigation which shall declare the impossibility' of tilings being allowed to go ou any longer as heretofore, a ml devise the means whereby a root-and-branch reorganisation ..hall place them on a sound basis. Seldom have we seen such unanimity of purpose as the irrigation settlers are manifesting. Let it be said at the outset that the objects of the movement are entirely non-political, and, as far as may be, are impersonal. It is purely a matter of economics. The irrigationists, including those who are disgruntled and even those who have been brought to the verge of ruin by becoming irrigationists on the strength of the Government’s promises, are lirmlv convinced that their future and the future of Central Otago depends upon irrigation. But it must be irrigation sanely and sympathetically ad- 1 ministered. A) c also heartily' subscribe to that faith; nobody who has seen some of the results achieved could bo of any other opinion. But no one ->vho has seen some results of a '-’cry different kind can help being convinced that some most unwise, most careless, and most unjust things have been perpetrated by the administration, and that these must be summarily ended and mended unless some of the existing schemes arc to become discredited and much further economic nnm is to be wrought. That is the answer to those few critics who deprecate depreciation of assets lest a panic bo created and a slump to unknown depths ensue. There is a crisis. Even Mr Marks admitted that the position of tile irrigation schemes in Otago had reached ft stage which could be described in no other way. But emphatically chats is no panic, nor is there likely to be any—-unless the Government is so blind to the interests of Otago, el the dominion, and of the public service itself; and blind, also, as to where the path of its own duty lies—as to block investigation and reorganisation along sound and sensible lines. The agitation for such investigation is none of our creation. It is a spontaneous movement among the seiilcis themselves, widespread and deepseated. Hitherto they have largely been isolated and inarticulate. Now they are united and able to make themselves heard and felt. If their present demand involves disclosures a of the internal workings of the public service and reflects upon the Government’s ability to control and administer that service, that is only incideiv-

tal. There is no element of vindictiveness against public service officials; no element of desire to replace the present Government by one representing some other political party. If tho Government is convinced that in this matter its own administration and that of its officers has been blameless, then it ought to court the inquiry that the petitioners will ask of it later on this week—if only for purposes of vindication and rehabilitation. But the unanimity of the settlers in this matter ought to convince Ministers that there is something radically wrong, and that there should be neither delay nor equivocation over putting it right.