§ 86. Mr. RILEYasked the Minister of Agriculture what are the arrangements, if any, under which the owners of land repay the amounts advanced by the State for schemes of agricultural land drainage; and if any portion of the expenditure is finally borne by the State or by local authorities?
Mr. WOODThere are two kinds of schemes of land drainage for the alleviation of unemployment which the Ministry is prepared to assist financially, namely, those promoted by drainage authorities and voluntary schemes organised by the agricultural committees of county councils in areas where no statutory drainage authority exists In the case of drainage authorities' schemes, advances are made up to 75 per cent. of the net cost of the schemes, and the balance has to be provided by the drainage authority out of the rates levied on the owners of land. In the case of voluntary schemes organised by county agricultural committees, the Ministry provides the net cost of the schemes, and one-third is recoverable from the owners of the lands benefited by the works within six months of completion.