DRAINING PIAKO SWAMP.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 108, 30 January 1908, Page 5

DRAINING PIAKO SWAMP.

RICH LAND—THE STATE TO GET THE ■ VALUE. [NT TBI.EQEAPH—SrECIAL COEEESPOKDENT.) Auckland, January 29. The drainage'works on tho I'inko Swamp, according to a statement mado to a "Horald representative at Hamilton by tho Hon. R. M'Nab, aro progressing steadily and satisfactorily. Mr'; Konsington, Undor-Secretary for Lands, who lately visited tho works, had reported that good progress is being made. Two specially-constructod Pribstman dredges, which have beon'ordered from England for the purpose'of- cutting a channel 15 miles long from the .mouth of tho Piako River to the Waitakaruru,-,willarrivo shortly, and this will oriable the', work ,to bo pushed on with greater dispatch;' " _ . 1 , The .presbht' oporations, said Mr. M'Nab, would. affect some 75,000 or 80,000 acres, and as yet the work was confined to only ono side of tho river. Speaking in regard to the disposal'of the land, Mr." M'Nab stated that the Government would not bo in too great a hurry in getting rid of it. They would not make tho mistake of placing it on tho market bofore the public realised the valuo of it, and thus allow other people by .buying and re-selling at a huge profit to reap the advantage of the Government's enterprise. - .