A "PROMISED LAND."

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13727, 18 April 1908, Page 6

A "PROMISED LAND."

DRAINAGE OF PIAKO SWAMP INTERESTING FIGURES. VISIT BY MR. SfcQOWAK. " [FROM OCR SPECIAL C!ORKE9POSOESX] Thames, Friday. The Hon. -I. MtGowan, Minister for Mints, at the invitation of tin*. Mayor of Thames and the members of the Borough and County Councils, visited the Piako district yesterday for the purpose at viewing the drainage works being carried out its the Pinko Flats by the Government, under the supervision of Mr. Breakell, engineer. The latter accompanied the party, with Mr, Scoicher, manager for Bourke and Co., win? have extensive Haxmillirig interests in this district. The party, to the number of about 30 in all. left the .Short land Wharf in the early morning, in an oil launch, and proceeded up the Piako River for a distance of about 20 miles. The first lauding was made at a point known as '"The Orchard," on the western bulk of the river, where the outlet of one of the large main drain:-; could be se- a. The drain from this point (about Sit in width and 6ft in depth) is carried in a straight line across tire swamp for a distance lit* about two miles. A large body of water is discharged at the outlet, and the rapidity of the current demonstrates that the fall of the drain is adequate. The party landed later at Kerepehi. where the Awuiti stream joins the main river, and here' the improvements effected were very noticeable, A start was made for Waiikaka. on the western bank, distant about 20 miles from the mouth of the river, at which point a substantial landing stage has been erected by Mr. Scotcher in connection with Messrs. Bourke and Co.'s flaxmills, situated about three miles inland. Connection has been made between the mills and the river by means of a ground tramway, and trucks were placed at the disposal of the party by Mr. Scotcher, whereby they were enabled to cross over the very worst portion of the swamp lauds. It was here that the geeat improvement effected by the drainage works was most noticeable, the swamp being practically dry. The main cross drain, 10ft wide by 6ft deep, at this point runs from the river in a straight. line to the hills, a distance of three miles, and it has a fall of 27ft.

From a point half way along this drain a fair idea of the magnitude of the works in hand can be obtained, and as far as the eye. can reach nothing is presented to the viewbut one unbroken stretch of level country, all being the property of the Government. Mr. Breakell stated that he was confident that the whole area would shortly be brought into a. state fit for cultivation, andthat most of it would prove to h*» land of good quality. The area of land owned by the Government „on these flats (and which will all be directly benefited by the works on. hand) is about 84,000 acres on both sides of the river, most of it, however, being on the western bank. In addition to the system of main and cross drain:, 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 of the lowest lying portion of the swamp, for a distance of 15 miles, striking across at an angle towards the Piako River, which it is to tap at a distance oi 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 will greatly expedite this work, which, according to the engineer's estimate, will take two and a-half years 'to complete. he 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 running ' into £1600. In addition to these drains, great improvements have been made to the river itself, the bottom having been cleared of a large number of sunken logs and snags, which had accumulated to the danger of navigation. 'The livers are now navigable for a distance of over 30 miles.

The engineer, in conversation with the Minister, stated that there was now about 15,000 acres of good land quite ready for settlement, which could be disposed of at any time the. Government desired. He recommended 'that it be sold to assist in carrying on future operations. "Mr. MeGowan said he did not favour t> " view, and thought that such a course <>uld not be advisable at the present stage. In his opinion, it would be preferable to await further development, as in assessing the value of such land it would be necessary that the total cost of the drainage be taken into consideration, and that each area bear its proportion ->i the burden. Ibis 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 promptly replied, "In three years' time." A survey is now being made for & railway from Mercer across the district to Paeroa

On the return journey a short stoppage was made at Kerepehi, where the Mayor (Mr. Burns) proposed the health oi: the member for the district (the Hon. J. McGowan). In the course of hit re mark r- Mr. Burns said the object of the two councils was to bring more closely under the notice of the member the great work going on in the Piako. A great deal of the credit of the initiation of the work was due to Mr. McGowan.

Mr. McGowan, in reply, said he thought they had seen the commencement of a greatwork. The engineer's scheme of operations was so arranged that a successful result must be obtained. He then went on to say that many of those around him would know that the Piako had been a sort of promised land to the people of the Thames for a very long period. It seemed evident now that if the Government could find the necessary money— there was little doubt of that—the prophecy of Sir George Grey would be borne out. and the land would be covered with smiling homesteads and happy families. If the land could be settled in five or six years from the present, time a great work would have been accomplished. With regard to the expenditure that had already taken place on the work, it might interest them to know that the Lands Department had expended £5071 between August, 1907, and .March, 1908, while prior to the firstnamed date £1322 had been provided out of the Roads Department vote for surveys and other preliminary work. It was expected that the expenditure during the current year would be about £15,000, which include*.! the cost of two Priestman dredges. Twenty-nine miles of drains had already been constructed and a large number of men were continuously employed, there being 156 at work on March !. What was now necessary, and. what he would help the Minister for Lands to do, was for a sufficient sum of money to be placed on the Estimates to enable the work to be vigorously prosecuted, so that it could be speedily completed. Several other toasts were honoured, and the voyage to the Thames was resumed, the launch being moored at .Short-land about, eight p.m.