DRAINING THE PIAKO.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 176, 20 April 1908, Page 6

DRAINING THE PIAKO.

INSPECTION BY MINISTER FOR MINES. PROGRESS OF THE WORK; BY TELEGRAPH—SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT. Auckland, April 18. The Hon. James M'Gowan paid a visit to the Piako Swamp lands, in company with the Thames Borough and County Councils and others, piloted ".by the Engineer of the Works, Mr. Breakell. During the inspection the latter stated that lie was confident > that the whole area would shortly be brought into a state fit.for cultivation, : and that most of it would prove to be land.of good quality. The area of land, owned by the Government on these flats and which will all be directly • benefited by the v.-prks on hand .is about 84,000 acres oil both sides of the river, most of it, however, being on the western banjt. In addition to the system of main and. cross ' drains' now being carried out, a large main canal, 40ft. in width, is being opened up from the lower part of the Waitakaruru River, through the-.very .heart ofi the lowest lying portion of' the'swamp, for a distance . of .16 miles, striking across': at .an angle towards the Piako River, which it is ;to tap at .a distaiico 32 miles above' the -mouth. For this work two, dredges are being made to the order-of the Government,- and are expected to arrive in about two months' time. They frill greatly expedite l this work, which, according to the engineer's estimate,, will vtake' two and a haif years to complete. . The total length ; of drainage . completed up to date since the work was taken in hand in September last is' 29 miles, and upwards of 140 men are employed, the last month's pay-sheet runhing into £1600. In addition to tlieso drains, great improvements have been inado to the: river itself/the, bottom having been cleared .of a large, number of sunken logs and snags, which, had accumulated; to tho danger t of. navigation. The rivers are now navigable for a distance - of over 30 miles. ■ -- -' _ . .. . .- .... The engineer, in conversation , with ' the Minister,. stated that there was now about 1500 acres of good land quite ready for settlement, which Could be: disposed of at any time the Government desired. He recommended that, it ?bo "Bold to assist in carrying on future operations. Mr. M'Gowan saidi bo did not favour this view, and thought that such' a course would not-, be advisable- at the/prcsent stage. . In his opinion, it would be preferable to await further development,'as ill assessing the. value of' such land it would bo necessary, that the. total cost of;tho drainage' bo taken , into' consideration, : ahd that each area bear its proportion •of the .burden, •• This could not be assessed- at the . present stage. ;: On being asked when the present drainage scheme of the: Piako land would be' completed; / Mr. Breakell plomptly replied, "In •three years'.time." -A survey is-now being made for a railway , from Mercor across the, district'to Paeroa'. At a social function later; Mr,. M'Gowan said lie-thought they lia'd seen the commencement of The engineer's 1 scheme of operations was so arrangedthat.,'' ' a successful result must .be fcbtained. Many> ' of those around him '• would..know that ' the i. Piako had been a sort of Promised Land to 1 the people Of,. the Thames'for y very , longperiod. ' It. seemed evident Bbw -Ith&t if -.the,.' - Government could -find the neccstary money*; —and - there 'was. little Vdoubt of 'that—tho'.'". prophofcy'of Sir George Glrey troiild v be borne out, and the lalid would be cdvond withsmiling, homesteads and happy familt>g.; If ' the land could be settled in fire or sii,yoars from the present-\time.a groat work.->ould have beon accomplished.. With Regard ti the expenditure.'that, had ; already taken, plact on the li'bfk, 'it; fnight interest thcW-to kfijw that the Lands Deparmr-nt had £5071 between; Aiigiist,. 1907, and Marcl, 1903, while prior- to the .firstJflamed' datu £1322 had been provided out of the- Roads Department 'vote for surveys ahd other pre-y lihiinary. work.' It was: expected ' tli'at the;', expenditure during the current yfcar would be about £15,000, \Vhiclv included the cost of ' : ' rriestoia'n drt(lS'cS.'- i .":-"W'hat Was- -now- \ necessary, and what, lie i would help' tha Minister for I 'Lands was for a suffi- . cieht ; sliin of ' niohey' to 'be plabed 'on^ 'tho Estimates' to enable the work -to be vigorously prosecuted,-so that it could be speedily completed. v : FLAXMILLING PROSPECTS. ■ Mr.. L. M. lispagne, secretary for Messrs. Mo.rtoh;Clark and Co., hemp merchants, gave . a Dominion reporter some' interesting facts concerning the Piako swamp, Thames, to which district lie has lately - paid'a business visit. . '- ;• . : : : The Piako swamp, .said .Mr. Espagne, extends overj an: area of -200,000 acres,, which the Government is draining with a ; View to preparing'- the land for settlement and for flax cultivation. The. bulk, of tho-swamp consists, of ; peAty soil with: some ' really good .loamy portions. 1 The'peaty . 'portions, when drained, would 1?3 very, practicable" for. ilaxgro\ving - purposes. ' Mr. W. C. Breakell,' tha . > engineer, in'-; charge, has already l got a large i amount: of draining . done, and the work: | should be completed jn'about but by u'ixt year he will liavo about, 6000 acres > of good : land ready for disposal for settle-; merit. The ; work is already, giving employ- • mont to hundreds of ineh, some of Avhom. are making lis.', per day, which is only reasonable when ; it is rehwmbered. that .they.'are .up'to-their. middles-in Water all the time. This Figure results ifi'the .mill employees re-, .ceivjilg- higher; wajjis than 'they, othfervvise Would, andthis ..increased cost of labour''is olw of the. i.-easbtis- whyi the triills. ih that district closed doini/' Mr.' Brcakidl's bcheiino . also iheludos; the t 'deep?iiing and. iWdeiiin'g: of the.Piako river, and when this,work'is qo)ie ' the river Will be navigable for 40 . milfcs •by steamer's of-the size of; tha TasiiAli :or. the Slormbird; ■'' "' - v.: Regarding settlement, the-reporter'was informed that Waikaka, a-place 30 milfes hp - M river, 'fr.is the. most' suitable fepot' for a township. From that, placefor a distance of four Hides to tho. river-bank. Mr. ' M..' F. Bourke runs .a tramway, and some of the people in the locality suggest that the Goyefh- ■ mant should take this over, as it would-form ; ah'excellent means of transport.. . ' i ; Asked a question' as' to flaxmilling pros- , pects in the district. Mr. ;..Es]iagne sajd that Jlr. Bourke and others would ! te-cohimeiice about September n.wfc if prices were anything lika : promising. There was any of flax, but it . all depended,, on' -the market, which,,' at, (ireseiit;... gave / promising;' ir.dica-, • tions. Flax bfokers were how uxpectiiig that flax wolild :gcii back : to' soiliethinsj like payable prices : Mow that, tho Americans : were , operating and tho financial crisis Was prac-. tiially over. . Mr. Espagne mentionid the fact that there were hot springs in, t.ho district, - and one at • Tierapohi resembled tlib soda-water ■spring.,it Paeroa) which was only 15 or. 20 miles distant. ■ The subject of sly-grog, was also mentioned. ' Mr. .Espagno stared that- this was very much in evidence, especially among the Maoris. I - - ■ ', ■