ELECTRIC PUMPS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3744, 21 January 1928, Page 4

ELECTRIC PUMPS.

EFFECTIVENESS FOR DRAINING LAND. Illuminating facts about electric-ally-driven pumps as aids to land drainage Avere given to the Horowhenua Power Board on Tuesday by Mr. A. Seifert, who has recently been visiting the Waikato and Thames districts. He stated ftiat the efficiency of the pumps which lie inspected in the Thames Valley was remarkable. They were working in drains, lifting the water just as high as was necessary, and putting it through the banks. It was almost incredible that pumps could have so much efficiency as these displayed. A 2 h.p. motor was lifting water about 3ft., with as enormous flow, possibly over 1000 gallons a minute coming away. Such pumps would no doubt be very useful in some of the low-lying land in the Board’s district. It was worth while knowing that good pumps could be had and could be worked at a very low power, ranging from 2 h.p. to 5 h.p. They would be of great benefit in this district. Although a large area of the land in the north end of the Horowhenua County and in the Manawatu County was protected from flood-water, there was the difficulty that when the flood-gates were closed by the levels rising, the water accumulated in the drains, spreading over the land and preventing the spring growth of grass. Mr. Seifert quoted the case of a farmer in the district he had recently visited who had raised his production of butterfat from 5000 lbs. to 12,000 lbs. from the same area through draining the land by means of these pumps. He added that he had been helped materially in his investigations by Messrs Elwood and McLeod (engineer), of the Thames Valley Power Board. Mr Seifert stated that the pumps he had inspected were operating in the Thames Valley and Pu'kekohe districts, and it would be worth while for members of the Makerua Drainage Board to inspect them. Pumps to raise water 4ft., pumping 100,000 gallons an hour with a 5 h.p. motor, cost £49 and were made in New Zealand.

On the motion of the chairman (Mr. G. A. Monk), a vote of thanks was passed to Mr. Seifert for the information which he had supplied, the chairman remarking that it would be very useful to the Board in the event of any operations in the future.