WARDVILLE SWAMP

Waikato Times, Volume 128, Issue 21356, 26 February 1941, Page 3

WARDVILLE SWAMP

LAND TO BE CLEARED BULLDOZER MADE AVAILABLE (Special to Times.) MATAMATA, Tuesday. Persistent efforts by Mr Shearer, a member of the Matamata County Primary Production Committee, have resulted in an l&-ton bulldozer being made available to clear timber and level ground in the Wardville area. Recently Mr Williams, Public Works Engineer at Paeroa, accompanied by Messrs Scherer and R. O. Lasenby, inspected the area. Mr Williams at a meeting in the Waharoa Hall stated that the bulldozer would be available, after completion of work at Auckland, at a cost of £2 an hour working time and the owner of the farm where the machine was working would be in charge of his own particular job. Mr Williams was positive that the country previously thought in Wellington to be swampy was ideal for the use of this machine which would grub out timber and dry stumps and roots in heaps or rows three chains apart, the capacity being about three chains daily. Mr F. E. Hughes, cnairman of the Thames Valley Drainage Board, said that the board would give every assistance possible. The meeting was most enthusiastic and a minimum sum of £6OO was promised by those attending, which was sufficient to secure the use of the bulldozer. WAITOA RIVER DREDGING OPERATIONS (Special to ‘Times.) MATAMATA, Tuesday A gang of men has been working for some time on the Waitoa River, clearing the willows in the stretch from tne railway bridge near Walton upstream. Willows have been ringbarked and other work has been done in preparation for the Public Works Department’s heavy drag dredge. ine cost of tne work is estimated at £IOOO, half of which is being found by settlers and half by the Government. It is expected that as a result of the work the water in the river will be lowered by at least two feet and so allow a good many acrey of land which are now waterlogged to be cultivated.