Feb.  x,  1893.] 
THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST. 
5i7 
communal  system  was  readily  revived  when  the  need 
arose.  The  mere  fact  of  its  existence  and  persistence 
in  the  island,  reiterating  as  it  does  the  lessons  of 
French  and  Italian  experience,  is  full  of  significance 
for  Australia.  It  offers  another  evidence  that,  to 
parody  a French  saying,  if  local  bodies  did  not  exist 
for  other  purposes  it  would  be  necessary  for  the 
sake  of  irrigation  to  create  them.  There  must  be 
some  organisation  such  as  that  of  the  Victorian 
Trusts,  no  matter  what  part  the  Central  Government 
may  take  in  securing  or  distributing  water  supply. 
jRRIGATION  DURING  SIR  HENRY  WARD’S  ADMINISTRATION. 
Sir  William*  Ward  was  the  Governor  to  whom 
C'eylon  owes  its  first  ordinance  on  irrigation,  dated 
1st  January,  1857,  and  in  force  for  five  years  after- 
wards. The  measure  was  tentative  in  character, 
and  provided  for  little  more  than  the  revival  of  the 
ancient  customs  for  obtaining  and  regulating  a water 
supply  whenever  a two-thirds  majority  of  the  landed 
proprietors  of  any  district  approved.  It  was 
really  applicable  only  to  parts  in  which  rice  cul- 
tivation was  already  proceeding,  in  which  there 
were  comparatively  few  proprietors,  and  they 
happened  to  oe  unanimous.  It  was  successful, 
therefore,  only  in  one  or  two  places,  and  supplies  a 
parallel  in  several  respects  to  the  first  Victorian  Irri- 
gation Clauses  of  1883.  In  1861  the  same  ordinance 
was  renewed,  with  sight  amendments,  for  another 
period  of  five  years,  during  winch  time  the  same  dif- 
ficulty that  was  and  is  felt  at  Viotoria,  when  an  in- 
fluei  tial  minority  opposes  the  legalisation  of  any  scheme 
was  keenly  realised.  Sir  Hercules  Robinson,  who  was 
in  office  in  1867,  accordingly  endorsed  a measure  in 
that  year  which  destioyed  the  power  of  the  minority 
to  permanently  obstruct.  It  provided  for  a vote  of  the 
land-owners  for  and  against  the  establishment  of  irri- 
gation districts  to  decide  the  issue,  and  for  their 
oontrol  by  a village  council  or  headman  under  by- 
laws supported  by  penalties.  Most  important  of  all 
was  the  authorisation  of  the  advance  of  money  by 
the  State  for  expenditure  upon  private  lands.  This  at 
once  indicated  a new  departure  of  a momentous  kind. 
Taken  as  a whole  this  ordinanoe  resembles  the  Victorian 
Act  of  1886.  Curiously  enough  it  was  largely  founded, 
as  that  was,  upon  the  report  of  a commission  whose 
recommendations  were  more  generous  to  the  oultivator 
on  some  points  than  the  Act  itself  proved  to  be.  While 
free  grants  were  suggested  in  Victoria,  the  free  con- 
struction of  minor  works  costing  less  than  £100  was  urged 
in  Ceylon, 
SIR  HERCULES  ROBINSON 
remained  faithful  on  the  whole  to  the  policy 
of  Lord  Grey,  making  one  concession,  however, 
which  is  more  liberal  than  anything  yet  granted 
in  Victoria.  The  capital  required  by  the  farmers 
to  construct  iriigation  works  was  to  be  obtained 
from  the  State  and  repaid  by  10  per  cent  instal- 
ments in  10  years,  but  the  advance  was  made  for  that 
period  without  BDy  interest.  The  representative  of  the 
Tamils  iD  the  Council  contended  that  even  this  treat- 
ment was  not  sufficiently  liberal,  inasmuch  a»,  in  his 
opinion,  the  rice  exoise  and  increased  land  rents  would 
amply  repay  the  Government  for  its  outlay.  As  it 
stands,  the  Government  of  Ceylon,  by  its  gift 
of  interest  and  by  its  departmental  expenditure, 
will  have  probably  paid  as  much  towards  a scheme 
ten  years  after  its  execution  as  have  the  farmers  who 
directly  benefit  by  it.  This  is  handsome  treatment. 
SIR  WILLIAM  GREGORY  AND  HIS  SUCCESSORS. 
The  success  of  the  Ordinance  of  1867  has  been  un- 
questionable. During  Sir  Hercules  Robinson’s  term 
of  office  £105,000  was  advanced  or  expended  under 
its  provisions.  Sir  William  Gregory  proved  as 
energetio  in  this  direction  as  his  predecessor,  a 
further  £121,000  being  provided  under  his  administra- 
tion. His  successor,  Sir  James  Longden,  was  a less 
vigorous  ruler,  but  £117,000  was  spent  during  his 
reign.  Sir  Arthur  Gordon,  who  took  office  at  the 
end  of  1883,  imparted  fresh  life  to  the  policy  involved 
in  this  class  of  public  works.  In  1881  a further  con- 
cession was  made  to  the  irrigators,  who  were  allowed 
* Sir  Henry  G.  Ward.— Ed.  T.A. 
the  option  of  accepting  a permanent  rate  of  2s  per 
acre  in  lieu  of  the  obligation  to  repay  the  capital 
advanced  to  them  in  10  years.  This  rate  also  provides 
for  maintenance  and  repairs.  In  other  words  the  Gov- 
ernment made  a permanent  loan  of  the  sum  spent  on 
the  works,  contenting  itself  with  the  reoeipt  of  its  bare 
interest  end  ccst  of  management.  This  is  the  Victo- 
rian system,  mmns  its  sinking  fund  and  its  compul- 
sory acceptance  of,  and  payment  for,  water.  Assuredly 
if  tie  operation  of  the  rice  tax  and  land  rent  be  ren- 
dered equitable  in  themselves,  the  native  farmer  of 
Ceylon  who  irrigates  cannot  ocmplain  of  the  treatment 
be  has  reoeived  from  bis  Government.  There  ia  no- 
thing so  liberal  to  be  found  in  America,  Europe, 
Egypt,  or  Australia. 
consolidation  of  the  irrigation  measures. 
In  1889  the  existing  ordinances,  five  in  number, 
relating  to  irrigation  and  rice  cultivation  were  repealed 
and  replaced  by  a consolidating  measure  which  today 
embodies  the  law  in  Ceylon  upon  these  subjects.  It 
commences  by  establishing  a series  of  provincial  irri- 
gation boards  and  a Central  Irrigation  Board.  As  is 
natural  in  a Grown  Colony,  these  boards  are  nomi- 
nated, consisting  of  Government  offioers  and  any  other 
person  or  persons  whom  the  Governor  chooses  to 
appoint.  The  settlement  of  the  question  as  to 
whether  an  irrigation  soheme  shall  be  adopted 
or  not,  is  left  to  be  decided  by  a two- 
thirds  majority  of  the  local  land-holders  within  its 
boundaries,  who  must  represent  at  least  one-third  of 
the  acreage  to  De  benefited,  or  by  the  votes  of  those 
who  own  at  least  two-thirds  of  the  acreage  to  be 
watered,  irrespective  of  tbeir  number.  This  is  ex- 
actly parallel  to  the  Victorian  law,  which  more 
strictly  requires  in  each  case  the  endorsement  of  a 
majority  in  number  of  proprietors,  owing  at  least 
one-half  of  the  area  to  be  included.  The  application  from 
owners  to  be  lodged  with  the  provincial  board,  like 
that  furnished  to  the  Victorian  Department,  must 
give  the  names  of  the  proprietors  and  the  allotments 
proposed  to  be  watered.  The  preparation  of  plane 
and  estimates  rests  with  the  provincial  board,  and  if 
these  involve  an  expenditure  of  ni  t more  than  £250 
they  are  empowered  at  onoe  to  make  the  advance ; 
if  the  cost  exceed  that  sum  the  proposal,  with  all 
neoeesary  particulars,  goes  to  the  Central  Board,  whose 
decision  is  final  on  the  question,  just  as  that  of  the 
Executive  Council  is  final  in  Victoria.  That  assent 
in  our  case  is  oonveyed  to  the  pnblio  through  the 
Government  Gaeette,  while  in  Ceylon  the  law  requires 
that  it  should  “ be  published  in  each  village  affected 
by  the  work  by  beat  of  tom-tom.” 
THE  FUNDS. 
The  funds  available  for  irrigation  each  year  are 
apportioned  among  the  provinces.  It  was  for  some 
yeais  the  practice  to  charge  the  watered  land  with 
only  the  estimated  cost  of  the  works  bnt  that  has 
now  teen  abandoned  in  favour  of  the  Victorian 
system  of  charging  the  exact  cost.  Farmers  in  Ceylon 
are  giving  the  option  of  executing  certain  earth- 
works themselves  so  long  as  they  are  done  to  the 
satisfaction  of  the  officer  in  charge.  This  enables 
them  to  claim  a grant  of  a oertain  amount  of  money 
or  its  equivalent  m works,  Bt  the  expense  of  the 
State,  and  is  a provision  of  which  much  advantage 
is  taken.  Land  required  for  any  scheme  may  be 
acquired  on  payment  of  compensation.  The  capital 
cost  of  a scheme  may  be  repaid  in  ten  yearly  in- 
stalments and  in  that  case  the  works  are  maintained 
by  the  Government  for  2Jd.  per  acre,  per  annum, 
or  a perpetual  rate  fixed  by  the  Government,  hut  not 
exceeding  2s  per  acre,  may  be  paid  for  both  interest 
end  maintenance.  The  debt  as  in  Victoria  is  a first 
charge  upon  the  land,  wh  oh  may  be  seized  and  Bold 
if  the  proprietor  be  in  dt  fault.  The  setting  aside  of 
one-fourth  of  the  grain  tax  as  a speoial  appropriation 
for  irrigation  works,  and  the  appointment  of  village 
councils  or  headmen,  are  peculiar  to  Ceylon,  but  in 
other  respects  the  ordinance  bears  a most  remarkable 
1 keDess  to  the  present  Victorian  law.  Our  Parliament 
has  never  suspeoted  that  the  main  principles  of  oar 
aot  were  anticipated  in  this  Crown  colony,  but  auoh 
