BIG DEVELOPMENT WORK

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 119, 21 May 1914, Page 2

BIG DEVELOPMENT WORK

KANOITAIKI RIVER DIVERSION. The Rangitaiki drainage scheme is one of the most important developmental works which is being carried on in the Dominion at the present time, and tho j latest reports in regard to it furnish in- ' teresting reading. The scheme affects an area of some 80,000 acres of rich dairying land, which is now rapidly being made available. A portion of the works was the diversion of the Rangitaiki River. At the latter end of March of last year the contractors for that work abandoned n, and- it was at once taken in hand by the officers of the Department, under the instructions of the Prime Minister (Right Hon. W. F. Massey) in his capacity as Minister for Lands. The work was pushed on expeditiously with the Department's own plant and workmen, and had advanced so well that arrangements had been made to turn the river into the diversion channel next Tuesday. However, owing to the flooded condition of the East Coast rivers, this important function had to be anticipated, and as the Rangitaiki River was in high flood itself, it was deemed advisable to break the dam and send the water through. This was accordingly done last Monday night with great success. At the end of the first hour the river at intake to diversion was reduced some three feet^ in water level, and the following morniiig had attained the lowest known summer level. Further reduction of water level will follow as the bed erodes. This big work is the key to file Eangitaiki Swamp drainage, and will afford immediate relief to the settlers on the swamp area. The diversion channel is some 1^ miles in length, and will shorten the course to the sea of tho R-angitaiki River by some eight miles. When it" is realised that all the fall in the eight miles will now be availed of in the shorter route it is readily seen how important the work ju3t done in to the district. The officers responsible for the drainage works are Mr. J. B. Thompson, Chief Drainage Engineer, and Mr. O. K. Campbell, Land Drainage Engineer, the latter officer buing in local charge. The operations have been carried on by tho Lands Department under the Rangitaiki Land Drainage Act, 1910. The work is practicaiy oil all fours with the extensive drainage operations now being undertaken in connection with the Hauraki Plaine.