INTERESTING VISITOR

Hokitika Guardian, 11 October 1929, Page 7

INTERESTING VISITOR

HUGE IRRIGATION WORKS. AUCKLAND, Oct. 8. To supervise agricultural activities in a territory of about 140,000 square miles and wall about 43,(XXl,(XX) innabitauts is the. task of Mr R. D. Anstead, C.1.E., Director of Agriculture m the Madras Presidency, who arrived at Auckland by the iViaunganui.

“Regarding the activities of my Department, I think I may say that we are fairly progressive, and are keeping up with most of the important developments in agriculture,” Mr Anstead said. “Of course, the population is tremendous, and we have to deal with an illiterate people. This does not make our work any easier. We cannot deliver booklets and pamphlets on agriculture and rest assured that the people who make their living from the sod will follow such advice. We have to get out and show them how things are done. We are rapidly overcoming prejudice, and the natives are realising that it is in their own interests to learn all we can teach them.”

Rice was the principal crop of Madras district, Mr Anstead said. About 11,000,000 acres were under cultivation, and there were also about 7,000,OJO acres of cotton. In the hills there were extensive tea, rubber, and coffee plantations, but these were conducted chiefly by English planters. It had been recognised that the only way to ensure steady production from the huge area was to have the land well irrigated, „ and irrigation works were still proceeding. One scheme alone would cost about £10,000,000 before it was completed. Dams were placed over huge rivers, and canals would run up to R 0 miles into barren country, their waters bringing production and prosperity. Irrigation works in India were bigger than anywhere else in the world,) bigger even than those in Egypt. However, it was money well spent. Fresh land was being brought under cultivation annually, and this was supremely necessary in a land where the vagaries of the climate might force famine on teeming millions-.

“Work in India is far from easy, ’ Mr Anstead said. “There are so many different people of different creeds that India is more like Europe than a separate country. '1 his is what makes the political situation so involved.”