| Date: Wed 14-Sep-1994 Paper Page: 3A Publication: Daily Nation EMBATTLED LANDOWNER John Marshall has found an ally in neighbouring farmer Oscar Burgess. Burgess says Marshall is being blamed unfairly and is only trying to be helpful in solving the "water war" involving the Three Houses Spring. "Mr. Marshall is taking the blame because he is the owner of the land, but this has been going on for a long time now," Burgess said yesterday. The spring, which supplies water year-round, branches off from a point on Marshall's land into three different directions and supplies three different groups of people. During the height of the drought this year, Marshall installed a valve in the stream to control the water flow but a court order last month made him remove it. But Burgess said valves are "absolutely necessary" to control the water flow, otherwise the farmers will always be "bickering" with each other. He said Marshall installed one valve, and he another, so water could be distributed fairly to all parties, especially during the dry season. The valves would not only have a "damming effect" and save a lot of water from running to the sea during high rainfall, but also keep water in so that when there is no rain there would be water to feed from, said Burgess. He blamed the lack of a valve for heavy rains last week washing away the majority of his cassava, okra, and melon crops. Burgess, who owns an adjoining ten-acre property, is calling on the eight farmers at the heart of the dispute to sit down and discuss the matter, probably "with the court as mediator". "We can't seem to get this thing to work among ourselves, but we need to stop the fury and warring that happens between us from time to time." "The water is there and all of us can have the benefit of it." |