1 Ava., 1899.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 185 
Mr. J. Croox (Rockhampton) testified as to the efficiency of drainage, 
especially in connection with orange culture. 
Mr. W. Crayron (North Isis): In the old country, when draining on low 
land where there was no fall, we used to make a small dam at the end of the 
drain, say an inch, and take that inch out to the other end. If there was no 
fall, the pressure of the water when it rained coming on to the water in the 
dam would force it down. On sandy land, or land which was very porous, we 
used to put the drains a chain apart, but on clayey stony land, half a chain 
apart, and at a depth of about 33 feet. Mr. Gibson’s estimate of the cost of 
drainage appears rather high, for in the old country I have known thousands 
of drains put down at 1s. 8d. per chain, from 3} to 4feet deep. The contractor 
had to cut out and fill in for that money, and a man would earn from 3s. 6d. to 
4s. a day at that price. The land was a strong clay, and the men used to work 
in gangs, but there was a special man to lay the pipes, and I may add that to 
do draining work properly you want a special set of tools. 
Mr. W. Tompson (Childers): When the question of drainage crops up in 
connection with the Divisional Boards Bill that I understand is to be again 
brought before Parliament, I hope it will be remembered that Divisional Boards 
are the biggest aggressors in the matter of turning water on to people’s land. I 
happen to be on a Divisional Board, and know they do turn water on to land, 
with the result that the owner has no alternative but to put down drains. Not 
far from where I live, the water comes down a hill, and the Divisional Board 
turns it into the main road, or practically into a man’s land, whichis only a foot 
or so off the road, and I think some proviso ought to be made in the Act to 
allow of some sort of compensation being made for this kind of thing, say, in the 
direction of the Divisional Board having to pay something towards the cost of 
the main drain which the owner of the land is forced to put down. 
Mr. K. W. Scnorz (Stanthorpe) also endorsed the remarks that had been 
made in favour of drainage; also instancing the fact that very good drains could 
be made out of bricks Jaid on their gide. 
Mr. W. Grsson (Bundaberg): With regard to the price of my drains 
which Mr. Clayton thinks was rather high, I may say that was the contract price, 
and the men earned a fair wage. There is, however, a great difference in dig- 
ging drains on a clay soil and on a ridgy one. In some of the ridges I referred 
to, the workman had to use the pick, and, altogether, I think the price was 
reasonable. 
Mr. A. Warr (Agricultural College): As for the cost of draining, in the 
Hast Lothians of Scotland it used to cost from £8 10s. to £7 per acre. I 
have known it cost £7 10s. per acre, but of course the whole thing depends 
upon the distance the drains are placed apart. Drains placed 15 feet apart 
would cost the latter figure. As for the improvement to the land, it is probably 
up to 50 percent. With regard to what Mr. Denman said, there is no occasion 
for any fallin drains, although, of course, when you are going over a heavy 
slope you can hardly avoid a fall, but in any event there is not much danger in 
any gifing in connection with pipes. A proper fall for a drain is about 8 feet 
to a mile. 
The Hon. J. V. Cuaraway: Perhaps the most startling fact made in 
connection with this interesting discussion on drainage is the one made by Mr. 
Gibson, who pointed out the enormous increase, amounting to over 80 per cent., 
of the sugar content of cane grown on drained land. It did not a together 
surprise me, for his brother, the Hon. Angus Gibson, was telling me the other 
day that he had made an offer to any of his farmers who were under contract 
to him to pay 6d. a ton more than the contract price for cane if they had drains 
in their land. With reference to the Drainage Act that is asked for, there are 
two matters really in connection with it: One thing is already provided for— 
namely, the method of getting means to carry out drainage works; and the other, 
the right of any individual farmer to drain on to his neighbour's land. Nobody 
has ever been able to tell me really what is the law on that point, and in every 
district there are some who are troubled to know whether they can float water 
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