A GIGANTIC WORK.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 692, 17 December 1909, Page 3

A GIGANTIC WORK.

■■ DRAINING THE HAUBAKI PLAIN. ' A number of Auckland gentlemen interested in agricultural anil -pastoral pursuits havo been inspecting the gigantic work at present being carried out by the Government in draining the Hauraki. Plain, formerly known as the Haurakir Swamp. Among their number was Mr. G. J".,Garland, secretary of tho'New .Zealand Fanners'. Union, • who has como back' much impressed with tho. magnitudo of the work, the excellence with which it is. being carried out, rind tho .vast possibilities for the future of the great tract of country covering somo 80,000 acres ouco it is opened up. In giving an account of tho trip to a "Herald" representative, Sir. Garland stated tjiat'when the schemo'was completed, to refer to: the district then as a'.swnrap would be an absolute misnomer, as there would bo a very largo tract of solid ground in it. From Makura "tho grand canal" struck'-'away at an angle of about 45 degrees from the river, and continued in a straight: lino till it reached Wai-' takaruvu on the Miranda side, a distance of some 15 miles. The canal was at present being" fashioned out at-Waitakaruru, whero two Priestmau grab-dredges were at 'work.; Tho waterway,between tho two places named would bo navigable for. tho . wholo distance for launches of light draught. ■ It was claimed that when this great work was completed, it would relieve congestion' of flood-waters, and 1 from what ho saw tho evidence bore this out. So far as ho was ablo to judge, not ono pound's worth of useless drainage was boing put in. "From the.appearance of the land," proceeded Mr. Garland, "much of it will como in readily for grazing purposes, but from tho naturo of it I should say : that horned stock can only bo put on it profitably for some time to come. A-largo area is at present covered with deep peat. It is difficult; to say how deep, butwhen dry, it is evident that it.will'grow flax, which is something, Tho remaining portion, which might bo put down at 40,000 acr,os, will in time prove ideal dairy country." "What will that country be worth, and how many people do you estimate it will accommodato in time to conic?" .Mr. Garland was asked. ' "Somo of the land," he replied, "will prob-' ably bo worth M or £5 an aero when it is •handed over to the settlor. When that settler has been there foi', say,' ton years, and lie has put in his reticulation drains, >os ho will be obliged to do, it will probably.be worth .£lO or, JJI2 an acre. As regards the probable popula-' tion, taking it at four : persons per 200-acrc farm, this would work out at something like 8000 people. Then there is the other ..10,000 acres to-be reckoned with, so you see what wan formerly a swamp will carry an enormous population, which whilo .benefiting itself will also benefit the provinco and Auckland in particular." ■ "What'is your opinion of the soil as disclosed from tho cutting of the drains?" "It contains a very large proportion of sea mud, that us everybody knows is full of phosphorus, which is the homo of the clover. After the sourness is out of the. soil, which Will take some years of I am of opinion'that the greater-portion of the 40,000 acres I speak of will grow clover s.s, lijyh as/your neck, I do not, however, want people to be, misled ns regards tho .Hauraki Flani.. : .The .Hauraki Plain, in tho first' plius,' •!« no place for an elderly man, but it is the place for a young man. It'needs muscle, energy, and capital to make.it pay." ■ ; : :!:■■■■ Mr. Garland added that nt Korcpchi, three miles up tho river, from headquarters, in boring for water a 'swing of semi-soda water'■had boon struck,'and was now coming out of a pipe 2 inches thick. Tho site for, the proposed township at Pipiroa was now being laid out, and would prove highly satisfactory for. tho pur-' peso inionded, ,