41. Sir N. Stewart Sandemanasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how much of the £ 64,000 earmarked for irrigation schemes in Cyprus has already been spent; and how much does he expect to have expended by the end of the first year of the operations?
Mr. M. MacDonald£ 4,110 had been spent up to the end of May and it is expected that about £ 13,350 will have been spent by the end of the year. This expenditure is in addition to the cost of the Water Engineer's investigations, on which £ 11,200 had been spent up to the end of March and met from the grant of £ 30,000 made from the Colonial Development Fund.
Sir N. Stewart SandemanAs irrigation is absolutely essential, can anything be done to hurry things up? This is a very small sum, £ 64,000, and if it is going to help in putting the island right, surely steps might be taken to hurry things up.
Mr. MacDonaldThey are getting on with the work as quickly as they possibly can. My hon. Friend will appreciate that the sum of £ 64,000 was for a four years' programme.
Sir N. Stewart SandemanDoes not my right hon. Friend appreciate that four years is a long period in which to spend a miserable £ 64,000?
42. Sir N. Stewart Sandemanasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether dowsers are being employed in the search for water in Cyprus?
Mr. MacDonaldNo dowsers are employed by the Cyprus Government, but I understand that some local diviners are employed privately.
Sir N. Stewart SandemanCan my right hon. Friend tell us anything about the result of this divining?
§ Mr. MaxtonWhat is the difference between a dowser and a diviner?