305
122
is still conjectural. We cannot but arrive at the view that irrigation on any considerable scale in Mauritius is only at its experimental stage, and in this important point we understand that we share a view held by Your Excellency. There is no clear knowledge in the Colony as to the quantity of water required for irrigation, as to the method of cultivation of irrigated lands, as to the effect of irrigation on the soil, or as to the resulting yield of sugar.
& reasonable
4. In considering the financial aspect of the scheme, so far as it is represented by the proposed charges for water, we pass from the experi- mental to the philanthropic. Mr. Harriott in 1914 reported that a water- rate of Rs.40 per arpent was a possible maximum, which the planters would probably though reluctantly accept, that Rs.30 was water-rate which the planters would accept willingly, and "that Rs.201 per arpent would be quite a popular water-rate which should if possible be adopted." He adopted a rate of R.1 per 8,000 cubic feet representing at the time a charge of Rs.18.28 per arpent, but neither in Mr. Harriott's time nor since was the scheme based on an intention that the charge on the consumer should cover the cost of interest and maintenance. The resources of the whole Colony were taxed in order to benefit the holders of 7 per cent. of its cultivated area (only 1.4 per cent, under the reduced scheme) in the vague hope that indirect revenue would balance the cost of supplying water on such generous terms.
the
The rate which is now being charged for such small supplies as are immediately available from La Nicoliere is R.1 per 10,000 cubic feet which on the basis of the higher estimate of 300,000 cubic feet as water requirements of one arpent would mean a charge of Rs.30 per arpent. Although the value of the rupee has changed since Mr. Harriott wrote, we have been assured that the planters could not possibly pay a higher rate; at La Ferme the water-rate is R.1 per 16,000 cubic feet and even with that low rate the collection is much in arrear through default in payment. The higher rate expected at La Nicoliere depends largely on the fact that the ratepayers are likely to be planters with very much greater financial resources than the planters of the Black River District.
5. Although this low water-rate applied to a possible sale of 900 million cubic feet would produce a revenue of Rs.90,000, it is quite beyond question that this amount will not be realized under existing conditions. We have examined the ledgers of the La Ferme supply and seen the long list of arrears which will almost certainly have to be written off as unrealizable. The crisis in the sugar trade has made irrigation from La Ferme unprofit- able and almost useless, and La Ferme gives a conclusive warning of what may now be expected at La Nicoliere. It is obvious that while the produc- tion of sugar can scarcely be regarded as a paying proposition on land which has a completely adequate rainfall and which is in every respect most favourable to cultivation of cane, it will not pay to incur the expense of irrigation, even at a reduced water-price, for land which is naturally not BO favoured. The current estimate for the receipts for the completed scheme does not therefore exceed Rs.50,000 and it may be regarded as almost certain that this figure will not be approached for several years. The estimated charge for maintenance is Rs.45,000 and there is therefore no immediate expectation that the receipts of the scheme will ever much exceed the maintenance charges apart from interest, while the immediate yield during the present period of depression will be less than the cost of maintenance. 6. It has been customary, in attempting to forecast a commercial future for La Nicoliere, to supplement the direct yield by a calculation of the in- direct yield in the additional resources of the Colony. This astonishing method of calculation is based on a dimision of the extra average revenue over a period, as against the average revenue of a preceding period, by the extra average production of sugar in tons in the one period over the other;
123 -
It is then assumed that one extra ton of sugar raised from the soil must meau so many rupees in extra revenue; the latter figure is applied to the number of arpents which may be irrigated, and a commercial future is happily prophesied. This method of calculation could only have some value if prices were constant. We can place no confidence in it.
We consider that the effect of the scheme will be to encourage the produc- tion of sugar on land where it can be produced with the least possibility of economic advantage and we see no reason for anticipating that in the present conditions the direct return from the scheme will even cover the cost of maintaining it. We have no ground for assuming that there will be any indirect benefits commensurate with the interest on the capital cost. We have carefully examined the details of the reduced scheme in order to atisfy ourselves that its capital cost is not unduly burdened by expenditure on parts of the scheme which have now been abandoned and which would not have been needed if the reduced scheme only had been contemplated from the first. It is true that the dam at Midlands reservoir has cost far more than if it had been originally designed to provide water sufficient only for the irrigation of 1,000 arpents, but we have been assured that the feeder channel would have had to have been of the same dimensions even if a smaller scheme had been originally designed. After making these allowances we are unable to reduce the capital cost below a total of Rs.6,000,000 for the purpose of calculating what should be the commercial return. The in- Lerest charges on this amount far exceed even the produce of the illusory calculation of indirect yield on the irrigation of 3,000 arpents.
7. We must observe also that the reduced scheme for the irrigation of only 3,000 arpents, by a system of distributaries which only command 10,000 arpents, is a scheme which, even in the most favourable circumstances, could only benefit a very small portion of the island; it might indeed be main- tained with no great exaggeration that no one would derive any advantage from this irrigation except the owners of the six large factories which it would primarily serve. It would be improper to burden the taxpayers of the Colony with expenditure which has so limited a field.
8. We are unable, moreover, to consider that the completion of the scheme has any special value appropriate to the present crisis. It is not needed now as a relief work for the employment of labour, for we were informed on our last visit to the works that labour was reduced because it was ex- pensive to obtain labour at the present harvest time. We cannot think that his irrigation would have serious value in producing extra resources of food. If sugar became unsaleable there would certainly be far greater areas, far more favourably situated, which would be available for cultivation of foodstuffs rather than of cane. One other point has to be considered im- mediately, namely, the possibility that the incompleted works may be a source of damage to the cultivated lands lying below the level of the feeder canal. We are not confident that in times of exceptional rainfall this risk would not occur even if the work were completed, for the nature of the country through which the channel passes makes it at least possible that it nay in the future be exposed to serious damage by landslides or by floods; but this factor makes it incumbent upon us to provide that the work on the channel should be completed to such an extent as is certified by the tech- nical advisers of Government to be unquestionably necessary in order to prevent damage to private property from the accumulation of flood water in the feeder channel.
9. With this proviso, we recommend that the works should be immediately stopped, and we have endeavoured to calculate the exact amount of saving which would result if this recommendation is followed. It is certain that further work at Midlands reservoir can be stopped without damage, and this work has in fact already heen stopped. The saving is Rs.161,000. It
FURILO
PECORD OFFICE
༄।༄།།། ། །
וורון
Reference —
C.O.882/12
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
"ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- | COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
FOBLIC
PECORD
OFFICE
Reference -
C.O.882/12
| COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
BF
[PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE. LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-
is certain, also,
tributaries
are
Rs.30,000 for
total
It is
of
maining
Nicoliere
not
constructed,
a
and
that there will be
land compensation on Rs.281,000
work consists
less
Re.18,000,
work for
cavated
end
easy
also
of
to
the
for
save
these
124
saving
to
this
the line
two sections.
further expenditure
the contract
of
canal
a contract the incomplete
in
expenditure
of the
part
at
a
work,
cost
of
can
of
Rs.90,000
be
the
added
if
a
the
proposed
sum
distributaries,
on the feeder
for constructing of Rs.59,000,
two
a
of
channel:
fall
spill-ways
and approximately Rs.25,000 portion
by blasting
on concreting
work necessary
expert guidance.
figure
added
of
Rs.11,750.
The
the
in
of
the
solid
channel
for avoiding
To
saving
the
sum
the establishment charges
tingencies for
allowance
that
view
here
canal.
rock,
can
damage
may
be
is,
well
of Rs.102,000
work
As
at
at