DEPARTMENT OF LANDS AND SURVEY. RANGITAIKI LAND DRAINAGE. REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1940, TOGETHER WITH STATEMENTS OF ACCOUNTS.

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1940 Session I, C-11

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1940. NEW ZEALAND.

DEPARTMENT OF LANDS AND SURVEY. RANGITAIKI LAND DRAINAGE. REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1940, TOGETHER WITH STATEMENTS OF ACCOUNTS.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly in pursuance of Section 10 of the Rangitaiki Land Drainage Act, 1910.

Sir, — Department of Lands and Survey, Wellington, Ist June, 1940. I have the honour to submit herewith the report of the Chief Drainage Engineer on drainage operations on the Rangitaiki Plains for the year ended 31st March, 1940, pursuant to the provisions of the Rangitaiki Land Drainage Act, 1910. I have, &c., R. G. Macmorran, Under-Secretary for Lands. The Hon. Frank Langstone, Minister of Lands.

REPORT OP THE CHIEF DRAINAGE ENGINEER. Sir,— In accordance with the provisions of the Rangitaiki Land Drainage Act, 1910, I have the honour to submit the report on the works carried out on the Rangitaiki Plains during the year ending 31st March, 1940. The rainfall recorded at Thornton was 33-21 in. for the year 1939, and 39-19 in. for the fiscal year ending 31st March, 1940. Rain fell on 127 days. The wettest month was June, when the fall was 5-07 in., and the driest month March, with a fall of 1-6 in. The average rainfall at Thornton over a period of twenty-two years has been 52-27 in. The year under review has the lowest recorded rainfall, the highest being 1936, with a total fall of 68-35 in. The low rainfall has not been injurious to production, and the general opinion of the settlers is that the results of the farming activities of the season have been exceptionally profitable. The Rangitaiki Dairy Co., which handles a large proportion of the dairy-produce of the district, manufactured 4,395 tons of butter during the period of twelve months ending 31st March, 1940, compared with 4,256 tons of butter during the same period in the preceding year. The actual increase in production for the season is, however, greater than these figures indicate, because production lagged in the spring and was exceptionally well maintained into the late autumn, and the output of butter for the dairy season ending 31st May, 1940, is expected to be a record for the district. Many farmers report increased production from smaller herds. To carry into effect the recent legislation to restrict the construction of drains likely to endanger the Tarawera River improvement works, a survey has been carried out which reveals that drains have been and are being constructed on the river-banks which may be the cause of breaks in the river stop-banks. The activities of the Department have been principally connected with the maintenance of canals and drains, and the only noteworthy constructional undertakings have been the completion of the Orini Stream flood-gate and the raising of the stop-banks on the right bank of the Tarawera River. More rapid progress on the last-mentioned work will be made possible in future by the employment of an additional excavator. Dredges. The excavating-plant has now been increased to five drag-line machines by the recent arrival of a useful light machine of this type from Pongakawa. The total output of these machines was 200,000 cubic yards for the year. No. 17 Monighan Drag-line excavator has been continuously employed deepening the Kopeopeo Canal. Working down-stream the machine reconditioned 3 miles 12 chains of canal, and at the end of the year had reached a point approximately 35 chains from the flood-gate at the outlet. Operating a 1-cubic-yard bucket the machine excavated approximately 90,000 cubic yards of material. No. 28 Light Bay City Drag-line excavator has been used for crane work and driving sheet piling for the construction of the Orini flood-gate. It also excavated 15 chains of by-pass channel to connect with the flood-gate and repaired the Wbakatane River stop-bank near the mouth of the Te Rahu Canal. The quantity of excavation was 16,000 cubic yards. No. 30 Bay City Drag-line excavator has, except for interruptions due to breakdowns, been continuously employed enlarging the stop-bank on the right bank of the Tarawera River. This work has now been completed for a total distance of 3 miles upstream from the Railway Bridge, and 55,000 cubic yards of material was placed to complete 1 mile 22 chains of stop-bank during the year.

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No. 31 Light Diesel Drag-line excavator is the recent addition to the plant. It is equipped with a 65-horse-power engine and operates a J-cubic-yard bucket on 40 ft. boom. The machine was delivered in January, 1940, and after a complete overhaul commenced work in February, 1940, on the right bank of the Tarawera River near the Factory Road. Approximately 2,800 cubic yards of material was excavated from the river and placed on 5 chains of stop-bank. No. 32 Light Diesel Drag-line excavator, after completing some repair work on the Mangaroa drain, commenced work early in the year on a drain-enlargement scheme involving 66,000 cubic yards of excavation from the Edgecumbe catchwater and Seccombes drains. This work is being carried out principally to provide drainage for an area of 6,700 acres of the Putauaki Block, which is being developed by the. Native Department. Heavy reconstruction at the lower end of the Catchwater drain has now been completed for a distance of 1 mile 15 chains from the Rangitaiki River. The output of this machine for the year was 36,000 cubic yards. No. 6 Priestman Dredge, which has been laid up for some years, sank in the Awaiti Canal and was raised and beached in a safe position. Flood-gates. The large flood-gate commenced last year near the mouth of the Orini Stream has been completed. This structure comprises three 5-ft.-diameter cast-iron automatic gates which will prevent tidal flow up the Orini Stream. As a protection against erosion of the sand under the base of this structure, the entire foundation was enclosed with steel-sheet piling. To avoid the difficulties of underwater construction, a site for the structure was chosen where it could be constructed in excavation, and though this site was over 300 ft. from open water, special methods had to be adopted to reduce the pressure of the percolating water before the concrete foundation slab could be laid. A new channel has been excavated to carry the stream-flow through the flood-gate, and the old channel will be closed next summer after allowing time for the banks of the new channel and filling to stabilize. A small flood-gate and 3-ft.-diameter culvert was constructed on the Orini Stream and another of 4 ft. diameter completed on the Omeheu Canal. The deepening of the Edgecumbe catchwater and Kopeopeo Canal necessitated alterations totwo bridges, and a farm-access bridge was constructed on Central Drain. Rangitaiki River. River-channel-improvement work commenced some time ago has been continued. During the year the right bank of the river was cleared of willows for a distance of 86 chains upstream from the Edgecumbe Bridge. Bank-protection work has been assisted by the absence of severe floods in the river. Tarawera River. Freedom from floods and the temporary repair work carried out last year accounts for the fact that there were no breaks in the left bank stop-bank of the Tarawera River this year. It was pointed out in a previous report that the condition of this stop-bank is a menace to the district, and arrangements for the reconstruction and maintenance of this bank are matters of urgent necessity. Some bank-protection work was carried out above the Whakatane-Tauranga State Highway bridge. Maintenance. The Department undertakes the maintenance of 158 miles of canals and drains. This work is carried out with mechanical excavators and weed-cutting launch in the canals and larger drains and by manual labour in the small drains. The total length of the drains constructed by the Department to date is as follows : — Miles. ch. Dredged canals .. .. .. .. .. .. 68 43 Main drains . . .. . . .. . . .. . . 121 36 Road drains .. . . .. .. .. . . 30 46 Length. Summary of work carried out during the Year : — Miles. ch. Drains and canals cleaned by manual labour .. 123 36 Excavation Drains and canals widened and deepened by manual Cubic yd. labour .. .. .. .. .. 4 74 6,600 Drains cleaned with weed-cutting launch .. 14 74 Drains and canals improved with excavator .. .. 5 60 126,000 New canals constructed with excavator .. .. 0 15 16,000 Stop-banks constructed or repaired with excavators .. 1 35 59,000 Stop-banks repaired with manual labour .. .. 0 8 350 207,950 River-bank cleared of willows .. .. 1 mile 6 chains. Flood-gates completed .. .. .. .. Three. Bridges erected .. .. .. .. .. One. Surveys carried out involved — Traverses .. .. .. .. ..171 miles 25 chains. Levels .. .. .. .. 23 miles 19 chains. I have, &c., R. L. Innis, Chief Drainage Engineer.. The Under-Secretary for Lands, Wellington.

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RANGtTAIKI LAND DRAINAGE SCHEME. Rate Account for the Yeas ended 31st March, 1940. n, S apital - j Maintenance. 0 ltal . Maintenance t. . . L,r - £ s. d. £ s. d. Cr. £ s d £ s d Remissions .. 552 14 3 485 18 0 Balance as at 31st March, 1939 .. 409 8 3 8 147 6 3 Transfer to Reserve Fund .. 1,242 10 0 .. Rates struck for 1939-40 year .. 10,463 10 2 7'032 10 1 Interest on oapital cost .. .. 8,712 10 0 .. 10-per-cent. penalty added to 1938— Cost of maintenance 7,660 8 4 39 rates .. .. .. 13112 5 161 10 3 Balance as at 31st March, 1940 .. 500 13 5 9,750 13 11 Subsidy on maintenance costs .. .. 2,553 9 5 Adjustment: Amount previously written off .. .. . . 3 16 10 2 4 3 £H,OOB 7 8 £17,897 0 3 £11,008 7 8 £17,897 0 3 Revenue Account for the Year ended 31st March, 1940. T r ' £ s ' d. Or. £ R d Losses written off 2,104 5 11 Accrued rent 195 Q 4 Law-costs remitted • • •• •• 110 0 Interest on capital cost recoverable by rates .. 8,712 10 0 Interest on Public Works Fund capital .. .. 19,566 14 9 Balance, transferred to Drainage Works Account 12,764 11 4 £21,672 ]Q 8 £21,672 10 8 Receipts and Payments Account for the Year ended 31st March, 1940. Consolidated Fund. Consolidated Fund, n . Heceipts. £ s. d. Payments. £ s. d. *" '* •• •• •• 13,230 2 5 Maintenance completed works .. .. 10 388 1 3 ents t 197 6 8 Refund rates ' 87 14 0 kaw-oosts .. .. .. .. .. 92 12 1 Refund law-costs .. .. 016 Subsidy on maintenance costs .. .. .. 3,172 0 0 Refund rents .. .. " 0 7 4 Sundries .. .. _ 1,544 19 1 Refund miscellaneous.. .. .. .. 011 0 ransfer of expenditure to Treasury Adjustment Transfer net receipts to Treasury Adjustment Account 10,388 1 3 Account .. .. .. .. 18,148 511 £28,625 1 6 £28,625 1 6 Balance-sheet as at 31st March, 1940. . Liabilities. £ s . d. Assets Public Works Fund .. .. .. .. 489,168 12 7 Drainage works— i j free capital from Employment Promotion Fund 890 19 0 Recoverable capital expenditure (section 11 Reserve Account for repayment of capital cost .. 1,242 10 0 Finance Act, 1927, No. 2) ' 9 0 r, nO O 0 r> asarsjst-.-- :: '? } —o •Sftsar.. .. ii. ;• d » sac—"-- •• :: " i : s ; Miscellaneous .. .. 295 6 2 Sundry goods 1 186 18 4 1,544 7 7 Sundry debtors— Kate Account— Rates £ i Capital 500 13 5 Capital .. .. ] 7,562 510 Maintenance .. .. 9,750 13 11 Maintenance .. .. 13'630 15 10 w ... „ . „ ~~ 10,251 7 4 Law-costs .. .. '470 11 10 Wntmgs-off m Suspense .. .. .. 2,104 511 Rents .. 50 0 Payments in advance: Rates • 118 3 Miscellaneous .. " 85 15 0 Departmental .. .. 184 5 2 „ , . 31,938 13 8 Cash in transit from Post-office .. .. 2,648 9 7 Expenditure from Employment Promotion Fund 890 19 0 Losses in Suspense .. .. .. ~ 2 104 5 11 £798,696 0 5 • £798,696 0 5 R. G. Macmorran, Under-Secretary for Lands. G. I. Beeson, Chief Accountant. 1 h ® reb y' ce rt lf y that the Rate and Revenue Accounts and Balance-sheet have been duly examined and compared with the relative books and documents submitted for audit, and correctly state the position as disclosed thereby, subject to the explanatory notes dealing with departmental accounts generally as appearing at commencement of parliamentary return 8.-l [Pt. IV], -Cyril Collins, Controller and Auditor-General.

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