[August, 1912. 



than originally estimated, has ensured 

 the regular cultivation of over 3,000 acres. 



On Irrigation the total outlay ha? been 

 for maintenance Rs.24,240 and Rs. 132,637 

 on construction but, deducting the outlay 

 on the Deviture Dam under both heads, 

 the balance is Rs. 56,637 for construction 

 and Rs. 15,378 for maintenance, making 

 a total of Rs. 82,015 of which Rs, 20,479 

 have been recouped by rates and repay- 

 ments. 



Matara Division. 

 InMatara district, Schneider's estimate 

 was 35,526 acres early in the last century, 

 and there was no advance in this up 

 to 1866, when the total area of the paddy 

 land was reputed at 36,000 acres ; but 

 by 1883 it had risen to 46,000 acres, which 

 was the extent found to be then liable to 

 compulsory commutation. The Western 

 half of the district is well watered, but 

 in the easterly parts the rainfall is more 

 limited and these suffered severely 

 from the drought which prevailed in 

 1865-6, while the water supply of the 

 Gangaboda Pattu had been adversely 

 affected by the construction of the 

 Kirema dam in Sir H. Ward's time. 



Sib Hercules Robinson's Terms 

 were, as already mentioned, readily ac- 

 cepted and a large expenditure on irriga- 

 tion was incurred. Consequent on this 

 production doubled at once rising from 

 an average of 358,000 bus. in 1867-71 to 

 748,000 in 1872-6. The crop is reported 

 as having been l'l minion bushels of 

 paddy in 1894, when the climatic condi- 

 tions were very favourable. The average 

 for the twenty-five years (1877-1902) was 

 over 700,000, and only 10 % less during 

 the next seven years of short rainfall. 



On Irrigation Rs. 559,222 was expended 

 on construction of works benefitting just 

 7,000 acres. This extent is liable to a 

 rate of Re. 1 per acre in perpetuity 

 which had (to end of 1906) brought in 

 Rs. 190,492 and land sales Rs, 1,524, while 

 the maintenance cost Rs. 111,405, leaving 

 Rs. 80,611 to go in reduction of the 

 capital outlay. 



As a good deal of the area irrigated 

 was pot previously cultivated even once 



annually, and as it all subsequently 

 yielded two crops a year, the increase 

 in the government share thereof (prior to 

 abolition of the grain tax) may be put at 

 three bushels per acre worth Rs. 1 '27 per 

 bushel (the average rate at which the 

 rents sold subsequent to 1874). The money 

 value of this contribution for the eighteen 

 years it existed (1874-92) comes on the 

 foregoing data to Rs. 490,000 which, 

 added to the above surplus of the water 

 rate, say Rs. 80,000, makes a total recoup- 

 ment of Rs. 560,000 against a capital 

 expenditure of under Rs. 560,000. Or 

 in other words the Matara works have 

 paid for themselves, and Government is 

 now receiving an annual revenue of, say, 

 Rs. 3,000 from the lands in excess of the 

 cost of maintenance. 



Hambantota District. 

 In Hambantota district Schneider's esti- 

 mate was 29,000 acres in the Giruwa Pattu 

 alone, of which about one-third was 

 benefitted by the Urubokka Dam until 

 it burst in 1837. 



The construction of the Kirema Dam 

 in 1828 doubtless added to the extent 

 regularly cultivated until it also was 

 destroyed in 1837. 



In 1866, the aswedumized area was 

 reported to be 18,500 inclusive of a small 

 area in the Magam Pattu, and in 1885 the 

 Grain Commissioner's registers totalled 

 20,118. 



Though the two dams above referred 

 to were restored in Sir H. Ward's regime, 

 as they simply turned the water of a 

 wetter zone the benefit which accrued 

 was limited and the Giruwa Pattu 

 suffered very severely duriug the 

 drought of 1866 and 1877. 



This led eventually to the provision of 

 storage, especially the construction of 

 the Udukirivile Tank, but there was no 

 material advance in production till 1886. 

 Further provision both for storage 

 and distribution on both streams in 

 Giruwa Pattu West is required, but the 

 unwillingness of the land owners to 

 accept the Government terms pre- 

 vented the execution of several suitable 

 proposals, 



