MAN'S HANDIWORK.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 75, 5 May 1914, Page 11

MAN'S HANDIWORK.

SWAMP RECLAMATION. Presa Assoeimtitn. AUCKLAND, May 4. When the Hon. E. M'Kenzie was Minister of Public Works he visited the East Coast, in 1910, and a deputation laid before him a scheme for mak- . ing a new outlet for the Rangitaiki River near Matata, by which it was claimed that a great area of swamp land would be drained and made available for settlement. The Minister was impressed with the feasibility of the scheme, and subsequently the Government had . levels taken and a contract was let to carry out the work at a cost of under £12,000. The contractor was not able to complete the work, which has been carried on since by the Government, and it is estimated that it will be finished within the cost of the original tender. A dredge made a cut right through the sandhills, to the sea and then worked back and cut a second channel. All the channel and banking work is now finished; and all that requires to be done is sheath , piling where the cut goes through the sandhills. That the work will prove a success is demonstrated by the fact that there is a fall of the Rangitaiki River at the outlet on the beach of Bft at high Water and from 13ft to 14ft at low water. This should lower the river right up to Te Teko, whi,ch will mean the draining •of an immense area, about 87,000 acres of swamp land. • I