WAITOHI WATER RACES.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2302, 7 January 1892, Page 2

WAITOHI WATER RACES.

FORMAL OPENING. The completion of the Waitohi Water races (a full description of which was given in our columns a few days ago) was celebrated yesterday by a luncheon held in Mr Martin Hullen’s large shed near the outlet of the race upon the Waitohi Flat. The luncheon was arranged for by the settlers of the district, Messrs Talbot and William Wright undertaking the principal share of the work. It was all that could be desired and deserved the many enconiums passed upon it. Previous to the lunch the headworks were visited, and here a number of visitors from Timaru and elsewhere were enabled to obtain an insight into the principal matters of interest connected with the water supply, the engineers, Messrs Meason & Marchant, and the clerk of the works, Mr Radford, being on the spot to afford any information desired. When the main features of interest had been examined, an adjournment was made to Mr Hullen’s, where everything was in readiness for

X.IIE LUNCH. The chair was taken by Mr Talbot, representing the Waitohi settlers, and at the head of the next table was seated the Hon. W. Rolleston, with Mr James Blyth, Chairman of the Temuka Town Board, as his vis-a-vis. Among those present were Messrs A. E. G. Rhodes and T. Hall Jones, M.H.R’s., J. W. White, W. B. Howell, D. Maclean, G. Rhodes, E. T. Rhodes, T. Howley, J. Inglis, E. J. Paul, P. Sinclair, F. W. Stubbs, 1. L. Morris, Antill, E. G. Kerr, J. M. Twomey, F. W. Marchant, P. Coira, W. Storey, A. Russell, M. Scannell, G. Bisset, F. Archer’, S. Clinch, G. L. Meason, Rev. T. Jasper Smythe, Rev. T. A. Hamilton, Hobhouse, and others from a distance, besides all the principal settlers in the district—in all about 80. After due justice had been done to the lunch, the usual loyal and patriotic toasts were honored, after which The Hon. W. Rolleston proposed “ Success to the Waitohi Waterworks Scheme.” In doing so, he said it was

difficult for a political man to change his tone and speak on practical subjects, and he should, therefore, ask them to bear with him. He felt that he was speaking to a thoroughly representative section of the bone and sinew of the country—the settlers who had borne the burden and heat of the day, and who had now come to celebrate their triumph over a great difficulty. The question of water-supply was the most interesting that could take up the attention of a local body. More than 20 years ago it was his privilege to inspect the first water-race ever made in Canterbury—one formed by Mr Reid, of Westerfield. As the representative of the Provincial Government he had also opened the headworks of the Malvern water-race, in the Selwyn County. Since then many races had been constructed, but he felt that events pointed to a more extended system in the matter of irrigation generally. They as settlers had to increase the wealth-producing capacity of the country, and by means of such local works as they had now inspected to make the country more productive, and enable a population to settle upon it. He thought the position of the colony a very serious one, unless the population could be increased and wealtli multiplied. He had no intention of troubling them with a long speech, as he should like to hear their chairman give them some idea of the manner in which the scheme had been carried out. He had known their chairman as a most energetic member of local bodies, and it was largely to his exertions, he believed, that the success of the work was due. He coupled the toast with the name of Mr John Talbot. The toast was drank with musical honors.

Mr Talbot, previous to responding, tendered apologies from Messrs E. Acton, C. G. Tripp, J. Balfour, Flatman, and Mundell, all of whom regretted their inability to be present. He then expressed the pleasure he felt at seeing so many visitors present to celebrate the opening of their water race. It was doubly gratifying. In the first place viewing its importance to the district itself. Theirs was a very closely-settled district, and he believed a fairly prosperous one. Not the most ardent advocate of a bursting-up policy could complain of the way the Waitohi was settled. There was an area of 8000 acres with some 70 ratepayers, which was fairly close settlement. It was a district that needed water badly, for latterly water had not kept in it for any length of time. Its presence there, by means of the race just completed, was therefore a source of congratulation. Again that meeting was the first of its kind to celebrate the completion and recognise the importance of the work. This, of course, was by no means the first work of the kind. There were many others in North Canterbury some of them of old standing. These, however, were carried out under different conditions. They had been constructed out of the general funds of the district. The history of the present race, however, was a different thing altogether. When he (the speaker) first entered the County Council that body was dying of inanition. It had literally nothing to do except the carrying out of certain works forced upon it, and which the ratepayers, perhaps, did not fully see the advantage of. One of the first things he did was to move a general resolution that the Council should devise njeans for supplying with water the more arid parts qf the qoiinty. Every member gave a general approval to the scheme, and he might also say that every Ministry had assisted as far as possible to further the carrying out of such schemes. The resolution he referred to was affirmed, and he was asked to draft out the condition# that might he thought suitable and acceptable to the settlers. Ho was then deputed by the Council to go to Christchurch and see Mr Wynnn Williams and draft a bill which might meet the case and which could be laid before Parliament, For some reasons this Bill could not b.e passed that session, but the Government expressed their approval of it and promised t,q embody its principal features in a general bill which was iutrqdupod and passed tjiq following session. Under the provisions of this bi|l i special districts could be proclaimed for | Special the Waitohi was the first district which took advantage of the Apt. The special district was enabled to pledge itself for a loan, but some difficulties had still to be overcome iu the matter of borrowing. Acting upon his suggestion tire Council asked the Government to

extend the privileges conveyed in the Roads and Bridges Construction Act, in the direction of reducing the interest, and extending the period of repayment. , The Government realized the position, and passed a Bill through Parliament which gave local bodies the power to borrow money at the rate of 5 per cent., and make the loans iepa3 r able with principal and interest in 26 years. Those provisions were of an exceedingly liberal nature, and they of the "Waitohi were making use of them. The country as a whole had availed itself of the Act to a r greater extent than was anticipated. Ha found that there were seven water race districts containing some i)0,000 acres, of which 70,000 acres were actually watered, and the amount borrowed to complete these works was a.bout £II,OOO. Whatever other counties might have done,, theirs, they would agree, had availed themselves of the Act, and he believed would make use of it to a, still greater extent. With regard to irrigation, that might come in time, but he knew that people had to learn a great deal yet, and acquire a good deal more information upon the subject than was available at present. As a surface water-

supply the present system was invaluable. Water had practically been carried to everyone’s door, and probably there was no system in operation that was so complete. Although their district was the first to avail itself of the Act, it was by no means the first to benefit by it. The scheme met at first with a large amount of opposition, but he believed now that everyone was thoroughly well satisfied. He apologised for detaining C them so long, but he desired to point out that practically it was the requirements of the WaitoM that caused the present Act to be passed. Of the present works he might say that they would cost about £3OOO. About 3000 gallons per minute would he delivered at the head of the

service. The cost to the settler was about 6d per acre, 4d of which went to pay interest and the balance for maintenance. That was about the aspect of the case, except that he might add that it was originally surveyed some nine years ago, and that the details of the scheme were now practically the same as then. Mr Talbot’s remarks were frequently

applauded. Before sitting down he proposed the toast of “Our Representatives,” and expressed the gratification he felt at seeing them well represented there. The Hon. Mr Rolleston, in responding to the toast, said that he knew politics were debarred, but they might as well expect a raven not to croak as a politician not to talk politics. However, his was an easy task that day, for when he looked around the table he saw so much common sense expressed on every face that he felt the whole of them were with him on the matter of politics. There was evidently no occasion for him to attempt to convert them. It wa,s all very well to talk of abstract questions in the House, but it was when, as on the present occasion, politicians were brought face to face with practical men and practical schemes that they realised who were doing the practical work of the country. People read and talked of the inequalities of the colony, but here were workers who were doing their best to reduce the inequalities of nature, and make each part bear its share of pro-

duction. The work whose completion they celebrated that day was of the utmost importance to the district. It illustrated what the country had to do, namely to increase its wealth-producing capacity and encourage population to settle. They had to realize that they had the world before them in a most; beautiful and fertile country. For his own part he felt that the Parliament for whom ha was responding had never had to deal with more important questions than at the present time. They had to cope with an enormous debt, and he believed that Parliament would be doing wrongly if it sanctioned anp further borrowing. It would be the height of folly to increase the liabilities of the colony, and he quoted from some articles now appearing in the London Times figures showing how terribly the debt of the Australian colony had increased since 1860. In that year its debt was 12 millions. If they progressed with the same ratio until, the end of the present century, the debt would amount to 400 millions. The very mention of such a sum made them stand._ aghast, and nothing could justify such a 1 state of indebtedness. Sir Henry Parkes had spoken of the scarlet thread which bound them to the old country, but he (the speaker) thought tiiat in their indebtedness to the mother country was a bond which might be called the golden tie, a bond of union that could not be thrown off. It seemed to him the height of folly to cause the withdrawal of money from the colony for no worse calamity could befall the colony than that capital should be withdrawn or if they had to pay too dearly for it. What they wanted was as little taxation as possible, and of as equal a character as possible. There should be nothing in the shape of oppression and no cry of class against class. He longed to see a spirit of common brotherhood manifested, when persons of every class would unite in a long pull, and strong pull, to further the interests of the colony. Mr Rollestou’s speech has been necessarily abbreviated. It was well received and applauded.

Mr Hall Jones, M.H.R. for Timaru, expressed tlie pleasure he felt at being present on that occasion, but did not intend to make a speech. He might gay, however, that he never followed any ( leader political or otherwise, so willingly as he had the Hon, Mr Rolleston when he

entered that shed. If the leader of the Opposition always show ed the path to such good things his (the speaker’s) allegiance to the ministerial side of the House would be severely tried. Of the member for their district Mr A. E. G. Rhodes, he wished to say a few words. He had' to thank him for many courtesies extended to him upon his entry into public life, and he had always been able to work most amicably with Mr Rhodes in relation to any questjqn wl|iph bprp uppp the welfare of the district as a whole.

Mr A. E. G. Rhodes regretted that hq had arrived too late to inspect the headWorks, bpt he was glad to' be in time to accept the hospitality of Waitohi friends, a hospitality which had frequently been • I extended to him previously,. He should follow the example of Mr Hall-Jones in not making a speech, especially as he had frequent opportunities of expressing his political views to them, but ho was

to see the leader of the Opposition and the Government whip present amongst them for they would be able to arrive at a clear understanding of the requirements of the district, and possibly assist each other when local matters were brought forward for the consideration of the Government. As Mr Jones had said, he had always been able to work amicably with the member for Timaru uopn subjects affecting their united districts, and it only requiredJMr Jones to learn the requirements of his (the speaker’s) district as well as he (the speaker) knew Timaru, to enable them to still more materially assist one another. . With regard to the Government Loans to ‘ Local Bodies Act, of which Mr Talbot had spoken, it was without doubt one of the moot useful upon the Statute Book, and it was made use of very generally. The district was certainly indebted to then 1 chairman for the way in hich he had worked in the matter of devising the means of carrying out such works as they had just inspected, and if he gave the same amount of energy and attention to devising a scheme for irrigation he felt sure that it would be successful.

Mr Talbot then proposed the toast of the engineers, Messrs Meason and Merchant, both of whom responded. The latter said that doubtless some of the gentlemen present felt surprised that there was nothing ornamental about the works, but the problem the engineers had to solve was how to carry - out the scheme cheaply and effectively. [ He was glad to say in this instance that P their estimates, except in a few trifling details worked out very closely. Their

relations with the settlers of the district had been of a very cordial character as a whole. Occasionally it might happen that a little friction occurred between two settlers, one of whom wanted the water in a place, the other objected to, or where it would not go, and then the engineer’s position was like that of the man between te devil and the sea, but he found the best way in cases of that kind was to give the parties a little advice and let them sleep upon it. It was astonishing when dealing with water what a, lot of good a little sleep did. (Laughter.) However, he was glad to find that the present works were so successful. A gread deal of credit was due to the contractors. Messrs Cartwright and Calvert, as well as the cleric of works, Mr James Radford, had proved themselves very competent men, and they might go along the work with the specifications fn their hands and have a hard job to find fault with it. Mr Hall-Jones proposed the toast of “ The County Council,” and Messrs Talbot and Howell briefly replied. The Hon. W. Rolleston proposed “ Other Local Bodies,” and associated the toast with the names of Messrs Blyth (Temuka Town Board), A. Russell (Arowhenua Town Board), and E. T, Rhodes (Levels Road Board), who responded. Mr W. B. Howell proposed “ The Contractors.” Mr J. Cartwright and Mr R. Calvert, briefly replied. Other toasts were “ The Press ” re-

sponded to by Messrs Kerr and J. M. ‘ Twomey, Our Entertainers,” proposed by Mr Donald Maclean, who associated the toast with the names of Mr and Mrs William Wright. Mr William Wright returned thanks.

Mr P. Coira proposed “ The Ladies ” and Mr A. E. G. Rhodes respended on their behalf. The toast of “ The Chairman,” proposed by Mr E. T. Rhodes, was drank with musical honours, after which the proceedings terminated. Prior to departing at the instigation of Mr Donald Maclean, three hearty cheers were given for “ The Waitohi Folk.” The gathering, as will be seen, was a thoroughly representative one, and proved very enjoyable. The Timaru visitors were driven out by way of Temuka by Mr J. Shaw, with a four-horse team, and returned through Pleasant Point, thus having a splendid opportunity of seeing a magnificent stretch of district.