DEPARTMENT OF LANDS AND SURVEY. DRAINAGE OPERATIONS IN HAURAKI PLAINS. 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-08

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1940. NEW ZEALAND.

DEPARTMENT OF LANDS AND SURVEY. DRAINAGE OPERATIONS IN HAURAKI PLAINS. REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1940, TOGETHER WITH STATEMENTS OF ACCOUNTS.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly pursuant to Section 20 of the Hauraki Plains Act, 1926.

Department of Lands and Survey, Wellington, Ist June, 1940 Sir, — I have the honour to present herewith the report of the Chief Drainage Engineer on operations carried out during the past year on the Hauraki Plains in accordance with the nrovkions of the Hauraki Plains Act, 1926. provisions I have, &c., R. G. Macmorran, Under-Secretary for Lands. The Hon. Frank Langstone, Minister of Lands.

REPORT OF THE CHIEF DRAINAGE ENGINEER. Sib, — I have the honour to submit the thirty-second annual report on the land drainage and development works carried out on the Hauraki Plains during the year ending 31st March, 1940." A year-by-year comparison of the production figures given in the Hauraki Plains annual reports for the past ten years shows that the average rate of increase in production of butter and cheese is about 200 tons per annum, comprising approximately 150 tons of cheese and 50 tons of butter. These figures represent the normal average annual increase due to expansion of farming activities in a decade. As the result of the excellent season the factory returns for this year show an advance of 600 tons on the previous highest production record. Returns kindly supplied by firms and individuals handling most of the produce show that the value of the principal dairy and pastoral products of the district during the year under review was over £872,000. This is a new high record for the district, and it can be confidently stated that the time is not far distant when the value of the production from the reclaimed swamp will be £1,000,000 per annum. Production figures compiled from the returns received are given below. The figures in parentheses are the returns for the previous year. Tons. Val £ ue - Butter •• •• .. 3,101 (2,962) 743,795 Cheese .. .. .. .. .. 3,942 (3,079) Number. Kgs 20,882 (18,470) 52,500 Calves •• •• •• •• .. 19,714 (20,782) 8,894 Cattle .. .. .. .. .. 13,637(14,096)1 Silee P •• .. 4,058 (3,528) 67,212 Horses .. .. .. .. .. 100 (104) j £872,401 Cargo despatched and received over the Piako River wharves, 5,908 tons.

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For some years past the Department's operations have been equally divided between land development and construction connected with drainage, flood-control, and roading. As increase! farm production is the ultimate object of all these activities, they must be adjusted to the wai situation without impeding progress. Equal in importance to active new development is the problem of maintaining that which has already been created, and in this connection I have to direct attention to two matters of importance. These are the maintenance of the tidal stop-banks on the foreshore and river-mouths, and the maintenance of the improved river and stream channels. Two years ago a phenomenon having the characteristics of a tidal bore caused extensive damage to the stop-banks on the Hauraki Gulf and inundated thousands of acres ol land. The damage done to these stop-banks was not entirely repaired, and past experience has shown that the stop-banks must be periodically raised because they sink into their mud foundations. Overflow of these banks by a high spring tide this summer indicates that they require immediate attention. These stop-banks should at least be restored to, and maintained at," their original dimensions. Graphical comparison of the ~ 1939 flood stages with prior floods indicates some deterioration ol the recently improved river-channel. There is evidence of shoaling at bends and bank accretion, and the time has arrived when financial arrangements must be made for maintenance dredging. The rainfall at Kerepeehi in 1939 was 45-15 in. The average rainfall over a period of twenty-four years is 44-257 in. The wettest month was June, with a fall of 7-66 in., and the driest March, with a -fall of 0-46 in. . Rainfall records of daily precipitation at Kerepeehi, Hauraki Plains, since 1916 are as follows .—

Records of Daily Precipitation, Kerepeehi, Hauraki Plains.

Average rainfall over twenty-four years is 44*257 in. The following is a general review of the works carried out during the year : — Dkedges. One floating dredge and three bank-operating excavators have been in commission during the y No. 15 Bucyrus Brag-line Excavator completed Piako River improvement work 011 the reach between 12 miles 40 chains and 13 miles 15 chains in April, 1939. After an extensive overhaul carried out at the Kerepeehi depot, the machine redredged the Mangawhero Stream for a distance ol 65 chains from the Piako River. Since February this plant has been operating on a punt and constructing a stop-bank along the southern side of the Kaihere Road, where, owing to continuous subsidence of the road embankment, further protection against flood overflow is now required. In 1251 working-days the machine excavated 31-564 cubic yards of material at cost of is. 9-2 d. per cubic yard. The high unit cost is due to heavy expenditure on the complete overhaul of the plant. No. 16 Bucyrus Drag-line Excavator has been continuously employed widening the WaitakaruruMaukoro Canal, and during the year completed the reach between the State Highway bridge and the mouth and also, working upstream again, has partially completed the canal-construction between pegs om. and Im. Using a fyard bucket on 50 ft. boom, the machine handled 64,607 cubic yards of material in 224 working-days at unit cost of 7-3 d.

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Number of Bays, with given Daily Precipitation in Inches. S § S S S § 5 | is § S § 9 Total Wettest Month. Driest Month. Year. m«'«'o > '- Days. Fall. s sssss°s\sssss 8 gSSSgS§'SS§§§ O i 6 O rH tH tH TH (N|(N CO -rf w o lqifi 100 12 9 7 2 3 1 .. i .. 1 .. .. 144 52-10 Nov. 6-65 | Feb. 1-05 9 7 " 131 11 4 4 3 1 1 1 156 45-61 Feb. 6-26 Jan. 0-65 9 8 ' 145 14 6 t . i - -- 1 "I 44-06 Oet. 7-47 May 2-24 \i\l " m 9 1 3 2 137 27-36 July 4-52 Pec. 0-89 mo 85 7 10 3 1 i 3 2 U2 43-16 Feb. 6-10 July 1-73 190? " 93 12 5 3 2 1 "6 34-43 Oct. 5-89 Feb. 0-72 ]IH •• ioi 17 9 3 'i l .. 1 133 42-81 Feb. 6-62 April 1-73 99I ■■ 151 6 5 4 1 1 1 169 47-04 April 9-76 March 1-72 1094. 100 8 10 5 2 5 1 1 •• 2 166 60*37 April 8*55 July 1*87 M2B 15 4 2 - 1 164 37-64 June 6-67 April 0-84 " 149 15 6 4 '5 2 2 183 55-53 May 8-86 Feb. 1-79 1W " 159 10 6 5 4 184 45-33 July 6-29 April 2-01 qIs 125 7 9 2 '3 2 2 1 151 47-30 May 7-52 Jan. 0-01 IWQ " m 19 8 3 1 155 41-05 April 5-09 Feb. 0-74 '• 4 9 2 3 " '2 '2 146 37-72 Jan. 6-87 Dee. 0-80 93? ' ill 10 7 4 " . . 2 167 43-23 July 7-80 March 0-98 " 126 7 5 'i 1 I 43 32 ' 05 Fek 4 " 95 N0V " °' 93 " \io io '1 4 '3 1 174 38-93 Feb. 6-54 March 1-20 ]lll ■ 1,8 n 6 5 22 " 1 .. 1 166 43-23 June 6-15 Oct. 2-05 1935 ' 163 15 6 4 2 2 .. 1 194 53-42 July 9-56 Jan. 0-93 1MB " 127 11 6 3 1 -.2 150 40-62 Feb. 5-83 May 1-63 " 7fi 21 8 5 'i 1 i i 114 45-51 May 5-89 Feb. 0-51 •' I4 19 13 6 4 2 1 2 101 58-43 Feb. 9-42 Oct. 0-84 \lll ■■ 9! 19 6 4 6 1 123 45-15 June 7-66 March 0-46 mo* :: 10 1 1 5 . : . 26 10.74 .Tan. 7-00 March 0.70 I I _J — * First three months of year only.

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No. 29 Bay City Light Excavator : At the commencement of the year this machine was employed filling clay into motor-trucks for ballasting the Orchard West Road. During the period May to November the machine was used to raise the stop-bank on the right bank of the Piako River, completing 28 chains between the 5-mile and 6-mile pegs and 91 chains downstream from the Ngatea Bridge. Later it was used for enlarging Prices Drain for the Hauraki United Drainage Board, and in February the plant was sent by rail to Tangowahine, where it is still employed. In 167f workingdays the output of this machine has been 46,346 cubic yards and the unit cost 4-4 d. per cubic yard. No. 11 Priestman Dredge has been used for the removal of willows from the bed and banks of the Piako and Waitoa Streams. Working in the Waitoa Stream, the dredge cleared the reach 150 chains in length upstream from the Piako River Junction. Since October the dredge has worked in the Piako River for a distance of 200 chains downstream from, the Waitoa River. Because of the low river-banks, this work would be frequently interrupted by floods if carried out by the usual method of employing some type of bank-operated hauler. By the use of the dredge as a floating crane the difficulty has to a considerable extent been overcome. The following table shows the total quantities excavated each year by the dredges with the average annual unit cost for eighteen years : — Year. Cubic Yards. Cost per Cubic Yard. d. 1922-23 .. .. .. .. 440,092 8-20 1923-24 .. .. .. .. 508,654 7-27 1924-25 .. .. .. .. 822,286 5-86 1925-26 .. .. .. .. 856,653 6-32 1926-27 .. .. .. .. 647,182 7-42 1927-28 .. .. .. .. 652,413 7-32 1928-29 .. .. .. .. 619,911 6-54 1929-30 .. .. .. .. 595,565 6-25 1930-31 .. .. .. ..536,692 8-32 1931-32 .. .. .. .. 390,611 7-99 1932-33 .. .. .. .. 200,954 8-00 1933-34 .. .. .. .. 116,224 5-96 1934-35 .. .. .. .. 52,517 10-02 1935-36 .. .. .. .. 164,046 8-26 1936-37 .. .. .. .. 171,717 8-69 1937-38 .. .. .. .. 261,347 5-72 1938-39 .. .. .. .. 206,412 6-70 1939-40 .. .. .. ..142,517 9-48 Waitakaruru-Torehape Districts. As a result of considerable activity in road and drain construction and land development important advances have been made during the last three years with the preparation for settlement of a block of 10,000 acres of peat land situated within these districts and known as the Pouarua Block. A comprehensive roading system is being constructed, and, because the land is deep peat, road-formation is carried out by laying clay ballast varying in depth from 4 ft. to 6 ft. over the peat subgrade. Some of the clay ballast is obtained by deep excavation in canals, but most of the required material is transported from the hills by tramway for distances varying between one and seven miles. Road-construction carried out during the past year comprises formation of the Maukoro Canal Right Bank Road for a distance of 153 chains southwards from the main highway bridge and completing base-course metalling with 2,404 cubic yards of metal, also delivery by" tramway of 22,816 cubic yards of clay ballast along 3 miles 63 chains of roadway and 852 cubic yards by motortrucks along the Orchard West Road. One 25-ft.-span. road bridge was constructed on Central Road. Preliminary construction has been practically completed on a grid-iron system of drains covering the entire area of the Pouarua Block, comprising main, subsidiary, and field drains. The latter are generally 4 ft. deep and spaced at about 10 chain intervals. Drainage-work of the future will be principally widening and deepening these drains as the land, consolidates and subsides. Drainage-work carried out during the year by manual labour comprises—cleaning 51 miles 22 chains of drains ; excavation of 28,660 cubic yards of materials in widening and deepening 13 miles 12 chains of existing drains, and 53,452 cubic yards in the construction of 33 miles 9 chains of new drains. Pre-settlement land development work on behalf of the Small Farms Board is being carried out on the Pouarua Block as the land consolidates in response to drainage. At Waitakaruru primary pasture has been established on an area of 1,300 acres, and this area is now carrying 2,500 sheep and some cattle. An area of 785 acres has been cleared in another block of 860 acres at Waitakaruru, and this land will be burnt and sown in grass this autumn. At Torehape a block of 680 acres was fenced and sown when an accidental fire swept the area while the scrub was being felled, and another area of 440 acres of heavily timbered swamp, growing scrub, and rough feed, has been ring-fenced in preparation for stocking with cattle. The principal works carried out during the year under review comprises 750 acres of' scrub clearing, 915 acres sown in grass, and 13 miles 25 chains of fencing erected. Kerepeeiii-Awaiti Districts. Operations in this district have been principally connected with drain-maintenance and landdevelopment. In the neighbourhood of Kerepeehi 20 miles 46 chains of main and subsidiary drains were cleaned by manual labour, and 7 miles 20 chains were cleaned and 64 chains widened and deepened at Orongo Settlement. Seven miles of large drains and canals were cleaned by weed-cutting launch.

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To recondition 2 miles 77 chains of drain, 3,419 cubic yards of material was excavated, and 1846 cubic yards in the construction of 54 chains of new drains. Area cleared of heavy swamp growth was 190 acres, and 50 acres was sown in grass and 172 acres of swamp harrowed. The drainage pump serving the Kerepeehi Block operated intermittently during the months of June, July, and August for a total period of 403 hours. The longest period of continuous operation was 62 hours. The Piako River ferry service has been in continuous operation at Kaihere. Kerepeehi is the headquarters, workshop and stores depot for extensive works within and beyond the boundaries of the Hauraki Plains. Patetonga-Tahuna Districts. Good progress has been made with the work of clearing the banks of the Piako and Waitoa Rivers. The Waitoa River has now been cleared of willows from the Whakahoro Road to its junction with the Piako, and the banks of the Piako River have during the past three years been cleared of willows from the Whakahoro Road to a point 2 miles 40 chains below the Waitoa Junction. Two working parties have been employed on this work with tractor and log-hauler during the summer, and work in the lower reaches of the Piako River is now being carried out with No. 11 Priestman Dredge. One hundred and twenty-four logs required for construction works were cut and hauled from the bush on the Waitoa River and 4,300 sleepers cut for tramway. Drain-maintenance work in the Patetonga District included cleaning 21 miles 6 chains of drains and the excavation of 10,292 cubic yards of spoil to widen and deepen 6 miles 9 chains of drains. During the past three years all main drains in the peat area at Patetonga have been reconditioned. Summary. The total length of main and subsidiary drains constructed on the Hauraki Plains since the inception of the Scheme is now 889 miles 42 chains. The principal works carried out during the year under review on the Hauraki Plains are summarized in the following schedule : — Length. Excavations. Drains: General, &c.: Miles. Ch. Cubic Yd. Drains cleaned by manual labour .. .. .. 100 14 Drains widened and deepened by manual labour .. 23 2 44,268 New drains constructed by manual labour .. .. 33 63 55,298 99,566 Drains cleaned by weed-cutting launch .. ..70 Drains improved by machines .. .. •• 051 5,400 Rivers, canals, and stop-banks improved by machines 4 9 137,117 Ballast. Clay ballast delivered on peat roads .. •• 4 0 23,668 Road-formation .. .. •• •• 1 73 Metal. Cubic Yd. Road-metalling: Base-course only .. .. 173 2,404 Acres. Area swamp harrowed .. .. ■■ •• •• 172 Area cleared of scrub .. .. • • • • • • 955 Area sown in grass .. .. ■ ■ ■ • ■ ■ 991 River-banks cleared of willows .. .. 4 45 N umber. Sleepers cut for light tramway .. .. .. •• 4,300 Fences erected .. .. • • • • .. 17 8 Field ancl Office Work. —Land and engineering surveys carried out during the year involved 4,887 chains of traverse, 3,558 chains of levels, 650 acres of topographical survey and 40 river or canal crosssections. The number of men employed on the works controlled from headquarters at Kerepeehi varied throughout the year between 108 and 137. These figures do not include extra labour engaged for seasonal drain cleaning work. I have, &c., R. L. Innis, The Under-Secretary for Lands, Wellington. Chief Drainage Engineer.

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HAURAKI PLAINS SETTLEMENT SCHEME. Revenue Account fob the Year ended 31st March, 1940. Dr ■ £ s. d. Cr. £ a. d. Interest on capital .. .. .. . . 33,939 18 7 Accrued rents .. .. .. .. 6,306 5 2 Kaihere Perry (net cost of operating) .. .. 122 12 L Interest on sales of land, &c. .. .. .. 14 9 Administration expenses .. .. .. 381 1 3 Grazing fees .. .. .. . . ] 4 3 Remissions of rent .. .. .. .. 693 13 2 Hire of plant .. .. .. ." 120 13 0 Remissions of interest .. .. .. 151 4 8 Royalties .. .. .. .. .. 131 16 7 Rebates .. .. .. .. .. 592 410 Net loss carried down.. .. .. .. 27,908 14 1 Capital reductions under section 216, Land Act, 1924 205 0 0 Capital reductions under Mortgagors and Lessees Rehabilitation Act, 1936 .. .. .. 127 8 8 Irrecoverable rents, &c. .. .. .. 65 12 1 Recovery of amount previously written off .. 0 2 6 Premiums on conversion .. .. .. 14 10 0 £36,293 7 10 £36,293 7 10 £ s. d. £ b. d. Net loss brought down .. .. .. 27,908 14 1 Balance carried forward .. .. ..364,514 5 1 Balance from previous year .. .. .. 336,605 11 0 £364,514 5 1 £364,514 5 1 Rate Account fob the Year ended 31st March, 1940. Dr. £ s. d Cr. £ s . d. Maintenance completed works .. .. .. 2,146 11 9 Balance brought forward .. .. .. 1,738 010 Remissions of rates .. .. .. .. 515 1511 Rates levied .. .. .. .. .. 2'olo 7 6 Balance .. .. .. .. .. 1,086 0 8 £3,748 8 4 £3,748 8 4 Receipts and Payments Account for the Year ended 31st March, 1940. Receipts. Payments. Public Works Consolidated Public Works Consolidated Fund. Fund. Fund. Fund. £ S. d. £ s. d. Drainage works: Stop-banks, clear- £ s. d. £ s. d. Rates.. .. .. .. .. 1,761 19 9 ing channels, and other expendi-Law-costs .. .. .. .. 11 1 5 ture incidental to conducting Sale of land .. .. .. 14,520 911 .. drainage operations (including Rents and grazing fees .. .. .. 6,317 18 5 formation and metalling of roads), Interest on sales of land.. .. .. 1,483 19 3 materials supplied, &c. .. 9,349 5 4 Artesian-well boring— Material and stores .. .. 9,265 15 8 Interest on advances .. .. .. 218 3 Maintenance completed works .. .. 1,839 4 8 Repayment of advances . . 0 18 2 .. Refund rent .. .. .. .. ' 84 18 0 Perry fares .. .. .. .. 165 8 3 Refund miscellaneous receipts .. .. 1,777 16 10 Credits in reduction of expenditure 14,882 6 6 .. Refund sales of land .. .. 305 0 0 Miscellaneous .. .. .. .. 177175 Kaihere Perry expenses .. .. 282 7 10 Royalties .. .. .. . . 131 16 7 Adjustment refund of amount reTransfer expenditure to Treasury ceived in error .. .. 0 4 6 Adjustment Account.. .. .. 3,984 7 4 Purchase of land .. !. 4 0 0 .! Transfer expenditure to Public Transfer receipts to Treasury Works Pund.. .. .. 18,924 5 6 .. Adjustment Account .. .. .. 10,052 19 4 Transfer receipts to Public Works Pund .. .. .. 29,403 14 7 £48,328 0 1 £14,037 0 8 £48,328 0 1 £14,037 6 8

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HATJRAKT PLAINS SETTLEMENT SCHEME—continued. Balance-sheet as at 31st March, 1940. Liabilities. Assets. Capital Account — £ s. d. £ s. d. Improved lands handed over to £ s. d. £ s. d. Public Works Fund .. .. 839,802 4 4 Land Board for settlement— Value of Crown land set apart Leased .. .. .. 116,504 3 3 under Act .. .. 45,000 0 0 Unleased.. .. .. 898 5 1 Transferred from Discharged Unpaid purchase-money for Soldiers Settlement Account 264 15 0 land sold on deferred pay885,066 19 4 ment .. .. .. 38,563 1 3 Employment Promotion Fund: Capital .. 10,083 18 1 155,965 9 7 Consolidated Fund: Capital .. .. 6,112 4 9 Unimproved value land not disposed of 18,322 1 0 Reserve for loss on Discharged Soldiers Settlement Improvements on adjoining Crown lands 7,710 0 assets .. .. .. .. 140 0 0 Permanent reserves .. .. .. 60 0 0 Sundry creditors — £ s. d. Works in progress : Expenditure on land in Miscellaneous .. .. .. 60 3 0 course of reclamation, including formation Departmental .. .. .. 741 15 2 and metalling of roads .. .. 669,878 12 4 801 18 2 Capital expenditure— Rent charged in advance .. .. .. 1,390 0 0 Employment Promotion Fund ... 10,083 18 1 Rate Account .. .. .. .. 1,086 0 8 Consolidated Fund .. .. 6,112 4 9 Payments in advance— £ s. d. Artesian wells — Rent .. .. .. .. 388 410 Crown tenants, Hauraki £ s. d. Instalment of principal on deferred- Plains .. .. .. 117 12 1 payment sales .. 23 10 5 Permanent reserves and Instalment of interest on deferred- Crown lands .. .. 216 10 9 payment sales .. .. 55 14 6 334 210 467 9 9 Buildings .. .. .. .. 2,618 9 7 Suspense Account .. ... .. 16 1 Wharves .. .. .. .. 100 0 0 Writings-off in Suspense .. .. .. 163 2 4 Machinery, plant, and tools .. .. 12,730 17 11 Treasury Adjustment Account .. .. 362,645 11 10 Live-stock .. .. .. .. 18110 Stores .. .. .. .. 8,420 13 3 Stamps on hand .. .. .. 0 10 Sundry debtors— Rent .. .. .. 759 7 6 Rates .. .. .. 2,67116 11 Instalment of principal on deferred-payment sales .. 98 11 5 Interest on well-boring .. 97 9 5 Interest on deferred-payment sales .. .. .. 168 7 8 Law-costs .. .. 115 13 11 Tram freights .. .. 7 10 0 Grazing .. .. .. 10 18 4 Miscellaneous .. .. 5,561 14 1 Departmental .. .. 832 0 3 10,323 9 6 Postponed rent (Mortgagors and Lessees Rehabilitation Act, 1936) .. .. 132 2 9 Losses in Suspense .. .. .. 163 2 4 Interest accrued but not due .. .. 427 0 0 Premiums on conversion . . .. 43 10 0 Revenue Account: Balance forward .. 364,514 5 1 £1,267,958 11 0 £1,267,958 11 0 R. G. Maomorran, Under-Secretary for Lands. G. I. Beeson, Chief Accountant. I hereby certify that the Rate Account, the Revenue Account, and the 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.

Approximate Coat of Paper.—Preparation not given ; printing (500 copies), £9.

By Authority: E. Y. Paul, Government Printer, Wellington. —1940.

Price 6(1.]

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