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and this was not by any means the only occasion. But there was more than stubbornness in his character. His stand at times, against the body of Ashburton small farmer opinion, on behalf of wider principles of government and conciliation gave evidence of an intelligent study of politics. He contested a parliamentary election—not without credit. Moreover, he was a collector of books, wrote verse, and was able to quote Burns and Byron at length as the occasion warranted. There were other men of similar quality in Ashburton. They gave community life a distinct flavour.

By the end of this period, in 1903, the County Council had constructed 1400 miles of race, with intakes, at a cost of £34,000 and was supplying 600,000 acres of land with water. Much of the money came in the first place from the county’s share of the ‘land fund’, the price paid for the purchase of Crown lands. In the 1890s the politics of the council revolved round the division between roads and water races of the money—the ‘thirds’ and ‘fourths’—handed over by the Lands Department for public works on Crown lands and settlements. Finally, the Ruapuna loan appears to have been the only one raised for constructing stock races in the county.

Today, water races are not prominent features in the county landscape. They flow, quietly and unobtrusively, in the shelter of gorse hedge or plantation, scarcely if at all noticed by travellers. During the years of construction, by contrast, they attracted constant attention where channels were being dug along the edges of paddocks and especially where they crossed the roads. There, the paving and upkeep of fords were a source of expense to County Council and road boards, although a plank usually served as a footbridge. The water available at them was a welcome sight to travelling animals.

The water supplied by these races not only made possible the increase in the flocks of the county, but also assisted agricultural farming by providing for horses at distant plough camps and in the harvest field and for the engines of threshing mills. Perhaps it was of even greater value in giving households easy access to all but drinking water and thus encouraging the setting up of small farms in even the driest areas.

Through its water-race system the Ashburton County Council probably had a more useful role to play than any other county council