2nd Progress Report - Part 1

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we were told that a pipe scheme would cost £ 80,000, the taking out of that portion of the work has brought about no reduction in the cost of the scheme.10406. Was the consent of the orchardists obtained in writing or was it merely verbal ?—The officers had an indemnity from which they asked the orchardists to sign. I did not sign one and there were many others who did not. At that time I was looking after orchards held by absentees and the consent of not one of those was obtained. The work was just done on those blocks without the consent of the others.

10407. By Mr CLARKSON : What was the estimated cost of the present scheme ?—Including the weir , £34,000; and the taking out of it of 2½ miles of pipes has not made any difference. The sum of £2,800 was not spent for cementing , though altogether there has been about £60,000 spent on this scheme. We were guaranteed at the outset that it would not cots more than £34,000. The Act only provides for the settlers accepting or turning down the scheme. It does not provide for qualifying the acceptance. At a public meeting of the settlers we accepted the scheme, but at the same time we asked the minister to receive a deputation so that we might point out certain matters. We were to see Mr Collier , who was then the minister , but that was not until 12 months afterwards. When he received the deputation we again stressed the point about the open channels being a failure. Mr Collier took the stand that he could not accept our opinion as laymen against the advice of his engineers. The engineers had assured him that the open channels would work satisfactorily . I asked him if that scheme was put in and it turned out that we were right and that his engineers were wrong , would he guarantee us that we would not suffer. He only laughed at me. As it has turned out, we were right and the engineers were wrong the seepage is as bad, and in fact worse than I Thought it would be. We have had several meetings with Mr George , who is now Minister , but apparently he has not been able to do much. I am inclined to think that probably cabinet took into consideration that Harvey voted against the Government candidate at the last election. That is how the position strikes me. The fact remains that unless something is done quickly the irrigation scheme will settle the trees which are growing here. At the present time they are suffering very badly.

10408. By the CHAIRMAN : How do you think yours trees would have got on if there had not been any irrigation ?—Some of them might have been beginning to feel the effects of not getting water in the summer , but I Would not care to say definitely that that would have been so.

10409. Was there a demand from the Harvey people for some form of irrigation ?—Yes the movement came from the Harvey people so far back as when Mr Mitchell was Minister for lands. Mr Mitchell sent me to Mildura to report on the irrigation scheme there. That was eight years ago. I am emphatically of the opinion that Harvey wanted an irrigation scheme.

10410. As a remedial measure , what course should be adopted now ?—There was a meeting between some of the settlers and Mr George and one of the officers of the settlers and Mr George and one of the officers of the department. We took a reasonable view we Considered that it would not be good policy for the Government to proceed forth with to concrete all the channels , because even that work might not be successful but we suggested and the officers agreed with me that a certain section of the work should be undertaken. It Compromises a distance of about a mile to 1 ½ miles on the No 1 and No 2 Channels and we suggested that these should be concreted right away. This work would practically enclose an island. We would then watch the results this season. Some of the worst seepage there it would not then be the fault of the channels . We understood they were going to do this but the excuse we had for it not being done at once was that they were waiting for the channels to get thoroughly dry. About three weeks ago they turned the water down the channels again and nothing has been done. All they have been doing is to tinker about with tar lining. They have been using about half an inch of tar and some sand and plastering it around the couch grass and the couch is sticking out through it. There are three engineers - Mr Oldham , Mr Arney and Mr Eckersley . At the very outset £34,000 was an excessive amount. The estimate was made out in June 1914. The scheme was before us for nine months afterwards and the estimated cots was not altered in the slightest way. This estimate works out at 17s 6d per acre paying interest and sinking fund. Of the gravitation scheme in Victoria there is only one on which the rate is over 6s per acre. In Mildura the rate is 30s but there they have to pump five or six times. At the deputation to Mr Collier he agreed to certain things and one was that the scheme should be graded with the rating on the area of about 900 acres owned by the Government. At the conference with Mr George the area to be rated was given as 3,320 acres. The Government have now cut that down to 2,800 acres and the reason given for not rating the government land is that the channels are not in. If the channels are not in , they have been charged for and the water is on the highest part of the land so that the land is certainly irrigable.

10411. What do you consider is the lowest profitable cost at which you can produce oranges ?—I consider I Would be losing money at anything under 4s a case .

10412. By Mr CLARKSON : Do you consider that 4s includes a living wage to growers ?—That would include the wages . In regard to the cots of bringing it to a profitable stage well I have not been able to do that.

10413. By the CHAIRMAN : What do you estimate an acre of oranges would cots to develop to the profitable stage ? - I consider you could put it down at £80 per acre.

10414. What do you consider the annual operating charge would be ? - I should say from £12 to £16 per acre.

10415. What do you consider the cost per acre of applying the water ? - The block comes into the question ; I have done a lot of irrigating and it should be possible to irrigate a 10 acre block in 24 hours that is with one man. Sometimes owing to a block not being graded and to not being able to depend upon the water it is not possible to irrigate it under four days. I have to pay 10s a day for wages. The cost per acre would be between £3 10 s and £4. Then there is the cost of preparing to put the water on the block. Four years ago the return