HAURAKI PLAINS DRAINAGE.

Press, Volume L, Issue 15021, 16 July 1914, Page 10

HAURAKI PLAINS DRAINAGE.

■■ * LAST YEAR'S OPERATIONS. ' OVER 3000 ACRES SETTLED. OTHER DRAINAGE -CHEMES. (SPECIAL TO '•'the MUSSS.") WELLINGTON, July 15. The report on the drainage operations in the Hauraki Plains district for the year ended March 31st last was presented to the House to-day by the Minister of Lands (Mr Massey). During the year 2178 acres on the plains were subdivided into rural farms and reserves, the valuation of this area being £1824, making a total of 32,0-0 acres, valued at £178,250, now settled and revenue-producing. A farther area of 2172 acres, valued at _15,070, in the vicinity of Waitakaruru and Ngarua, would be available for selection next month. This shows a reclaimed swamp area of 34,697 acres of a capital value of £193,320. The report states that a further area of about 2000 acres at Ngarau and Mangawhero should be far enough advanced for selection before the end of the present financial year. The total expenditure under the Act to date was £159,241. The number of settlers on tho area at the end of March was 227. During the: ytear the sum of £2073 was expended on the I'iako river, practically all the dredging. The total length of stop-banks constructed to the ond of tho year was 27 miles 50 chains; the total length of cart roads was 54 miles; whilst the total length of drains in operation was now 302 miles, an increase of 26 miles. Twenty-three artesian bores wero sunk during the year by the Department's plant, bringing the total up to 82. ■ ' "A MOST SATISFACTORY REPORT." Mr Massey, in presenting the report, said that it was a most important one. He would probably have to ask Parliament for more money this year for the purpose of carrying on the drainage operations. In reply to Mr G. W. Russell, he said that the 'commitments at the end of the last financial year probably amounted to more than the cash then in hand. ' - v Mr T. W. Rhodes said that the late Government was entitled to credit for initiating the scheme, and that the present Government was also deserving of credit for so successfully continuing the scheme. He urged that the roading portion of the scheme should be pushed on with all possible despatch, and also that ar t engineer's report should be obtained on the question of a comprehensive water scheme. The cost might be great, but he believed that the settlers would bo quite willing to pay {or the great benefit that they would receive from a eood water supply. Mr G. W. Russell said that it might he inferred from the remarks made by the Prime Minister, in presenting the report, that the whole of the credit of this work was due to.the present Government, . Mr Rhodes: I made it clear that it was not so. Mr Russell: "Ah, there" the hon. gentleman's honesty shone out." . Mr Russell, continuing, said that since the present Government had been in office there had been a manifest falling-off in tho expenditure on this great Hauraki Plains work. During »the first year that tho Government was in office £26,000 Was spent, as against £40,000 expended in the previous" year,, whilst last year tlie expenditure was smaller than it had been at any time since 1909. He hoped that Mr Rhodes wouid go back to his constituents arid tell them that the only chance of pushing forward this great work would not come until after the end of the present year, when the Liberal party, would again be in power. (Loud applause.) Mr Okey said that no doubt Mr Russell would have been pleased had the present Government stopped the work, instead of continuing it. THE KAIATAI SWAMP SCHEME. -Mr Reed pointed out. to the member for Avon that the present Government had not only continued the work on the Hauraki Plains, but that it had also initiated a new work of a similar character :on thrj Kaiatai Swamp, in the Bay of Islands electorate. He hoped that this progressive policy would be pursued in respect to other swamps, notably one between Waiharara and Houhoura. Mr Mac Donald said that he thought it was better policy to push on the drainage and settlement; of these swamps as quickly as possible, instead of placing settlers oh the poorer lands. He referred to the success that was attending the Rangitaiki Swamp drainage operations, , and he recommended thp Government to consider the question of increasing tho plant for dealing with these swamps. WAIHI AND RANGIRIRI SWAMPS. Mr Massey said that Mr Russell must bo very hard up for political capital when he tried to make it out of what was taking in regard to the Hauraki Plains. When the work was commenced the land that could be most easily made available for settlement was first taken in hand, this being tho land upon which there was little or uo peat. When- the peat land was taken in hand, it was found that it was not possiblo to employ such a largo number of men. The engineer had told him that it was not possible to expend such a large sum of money on this portion of the land. It must also bo remembered that during the year 1911 the sum of £10,000 or £12.000 was exponded on plant and the purchase of land. He did not wish to "deny the late Government any part of the credit to which it was entitled for initiating the scheme, but many years before it was inaugurated he had suggested that the Government should undertake the drainage of this land. It would ,be another eight or ten years before the whole of tho land was fit for settlement, but when that time came it would be one of the most prosperous and productive districts in the Dominion.

Continuing, Mr Massey said that the Government proposed to undertake the drainage of tne Waihi Swamp and the Rangiriri Swamp. He trusted that during the next ten years the Reform Government would be able to make available for cultivation a great deal of land which was now lying idle. A Member: Why is it lying idle? Mr Massey: Because the previous Government did not do anything with it.