Whenever a majority of the resident freeholders, owning more than one-half of the lands or the evidence of title to said lands in any arid or semiarid district in the state of New Mexico, desire to provide for the irrigation of the same by pumping water for such irrigation, they may propose the organization of an irrigation district under the provisions of this act N.M. Stat. Ann. § 73-12-1 to 73-12-57 and when so organized such district shall have the powers conferred or that may hereafter be conferred by law upon such irrigation district.