1976: Maniototo irrigation scheme begins

OCT 27: Eighty years of dreams, schemes and abortive plans for a Maniototo irrigation scheme finally took shape on a windswept paddock near the Gimmerburn Hall yesterday afternoon, as the Minister of Works and Development, the Hon W. L. Young cut a swathe of topsoil with a huge motor-scraper.

 It was a gala occasion for the district, with about 600 people braving the icy wind and the odd flurry of snow to march in procession from the hall, across the sports ground to see the first sod turned on the $6 million scheme.

The chairman of the Maniototo Irrigation Committee, Mr G. K. Patterson said the day was a great one for the district, because the scheme would bring progress and prosperity to a large area. However, he made it clear to the Minister that his committee would want to see a flow of Government money, on a regular basis, to make the flow of water through the irrigation races a reality.

Mr Young said it had taken "a lot of battling" to get the scheme under way. But with such a costly scheme, once a start was made, it had to be pushed through. He said he could not commit future Governments, but the present administration was well aware that expenditure would have to be provided for the scheme on an increasing scale.

The District Commissioner of Works, Mr R. Grant said it would be about five years before the first water could be supplied - to an area of 2,833 hectares from the west-side race, running from Paerau to Waipiata.

A 21-metre-high concrete weir would be installed in the Paerau Gorge, at a cost of about $750,000, but this would not start for about 18 months.

Then a 6-metre earth dam would be built in the Logan Burn and at about the same time the irrigation race to Patearoa would be built. The fourth and final stage would involve pumping to extensions to carry water to the terraces.

In all, the project would take 10 years and involve a $6 million outlay at today's costs.

The scheme will eventually serve 9,300 hectares.

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