DRAINAGE SCHEMES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21132, 15 March 1932, Page 11

DRAINAGE SCHEMES.

TAUPIRI DISTRICT PLANS. DEVELOPING 100,000 ACRES. No definite decision has been reached concerning the starting of drainage work in the Taupiri district. A conference was held recently between members of the Taupiri Drainage and River Board, Mr. F. S. Dyson, district engineer of the Public Works Department, Mr. R. G. MacMorran, land drainage engineer, and Mr. W. Slaughter, officer in charge of unemployment at Auckland, and as a result various proposals have been forwarded to the Public Works Department in Wellington. Tho estimated cost, of the complete scheme is about £170,000 and tho total area to be involved in the drainage work is about 100.000 acres. Some of this is partially-developed land, but most of it has not yet been brought under cultivation. According to Mr. Dyson, the work should ultimately result in tho provision of first-class dairying land. If the scheme receives Government approval an early start will be made with the work. It is hoped to find employment for about 400 men.

Work is being carried on at present in the Aka Aka swamp, near Wniuku. The main drains are being widened and 140 single men from Wellington are employed on the work. At Mangatawhiri 40 men are employed in widening tho Mangatawhiri Stream and a further 40 are working on improvements in tho Kopuku Stream. A start has also been mado with the removal of rock from the bod of tho Paerata Stream, which is to be widened and straightened between Paerata and the rukekohe boundarv.