DEPARTMENT OF LANDS AND SURVEY. SWAMP DRAINAGE. REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1941, TOGETHER WITH STATEMENTS OF ACCOUNTS.

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1941 Session I, C-04

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1941. NEW ZEALAND.

DEPARTMENT OF LANDS AND SURVEY. SWAMP DRAINAGE. REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1941, TOGETHER WITH STATEMENTS OF ACCOUNTS.

Presented, to both Houses of the General Assembly pursuant to Section 13 of the Swamp Drainage Act, 1915.

Department of Lands and Survey, Wellington, Ist July, 1941. Sir, — In pursuance of section 13 of the Swamp Drainage Act, 1915, I have the honour to forward the report of the Chief Drainage Engineer covering operations on lands proclaimed under the Swamp Drainage Act and amendments. I have, &c., R. G. Macmorran, The Hon. Frank Langstone, Minister of Lands. Under-Secretary for Lands.

REPORT OF THE CHIEF DRAINAGE ENGINEER. Sir, — • 1 I have the honour to submit my annual report on the areas proclaimed under the Swamp Drainage Act, 1915, and its amendments for the year ending 31st March, 1941. Kaitaia Drainage Area (61,430 Acres), Mangonui County. The completion of the Waipapakauri outlet this year has resulted in improved drainage to the Kaitaia Small-farms Area, also to the farm land along the route. The Monighan Drag-line No. 18 employed on this operation is now laid up. Rainfall for the year amounted to 48-49 in., a decrease of 15 in. for the previous year. January was the wettest month, when a total of 8-41 in. fell on fourteen days. Records for the year, including river-gauge readings, are shown hereunder : —

Rainfall and River-gauge Readings for Year ending 31st March, 1941.

Drains—Yates and Mathews drains were widened and deepened for 21 and 45 chains respectively, which enabled improvements to be effected to internal drains connected to same, and in addition the usual 60 miles of main drains were cleaned.

Highest Rain- Kaitaia River-gauge, Waiur „ Rainfall Wet Days fail for knriki Bridge. Month. (Inches) _ i n Month. Tw g^, our (Inches). Hi S heat - Lowest " 1940. j April .. •• 5-57 14 2-65 54-1 j 52-3 May .. .. •• 6-17 19 1-07 58-6 62-2 June .. 3-09 16 0-83 58-5 53-2 July .. .. .. 2-47 9 0-62 57-7 53-2 August .. ■■ 3-54 18 0-65 57-8 53-1 September 3-12 15 0-86 57-9 52-6 October .. •• 3-16 11 . 0-65 57-5 52-5 November . .. .. 3-70 14 0-99 59-5 52-7 December 1-38 4 0-65 53-8 52-3 1941. January .. .. .. 8-41 14 2-16 57-3 52-5 February .. .. •• 1'99 6 1-02 55-8 52-2 March .. .. .. 5-89 9 3-30 62-4- 52-3 Totals .. .. 48-49 149

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Stop-banks and Flood-gates. —A portion of the stop-bank on the Awanui River is causing concern owing to erosion caused by the wash from shipping. This erosion will be further investigated and a report submitted. General repairs were effected to stop-banks and flood-gates as found necessary. Whangatane Spillway. —No work was carried out during the year. There is, however, considerable silting taking place between the spillway and Quarry Road, and as the discharge capacity has been affected steps will be necessary to remove the silt. Expenditure and Rates. —The net maintenance' expenditure for the year was £1,429 9s. lid. 1940-41 rates struck were —Town: Special, £440 18s. 4d. ; general, £200 14s. 2d. Rural: Special, £3,442 Is. sd. ; general, £1,925 19s. The amount paid during the year on account of current rates and arrears was —Town : Special, £420 J 9s. Bd. ; general, £209 18s. Bd. Rural: Special, £515 18s. Bd. ; general, £271 14s. lid. Hikurangi Drainage Area (50,000 Acres), Whangarei County. The only expenditure was in connection with the overhaul and disposal of plant during the first two months of the year amounting to £55 7s. 6d. Waihi Drainage Area (20,000 Acres), Tauranga County. Maintenance work on stop-banks, bridges, and flood-pump were continued during the year, together with the seasonal cleaning operations of 36 miles 30 chains of drains. A rearrangement of the outfall near the stockyard was made, and subdivisional drains constructed between the Pongakawa West and the Wharere and Central drains. The Te Puke Flax-milling Co., lessees of the Pukehina Block swamp area on the eastern side of the Pongakawa Stream, have installed a small land drainage pumping station and commenced sowing an area of swamp in grass. The net maintenance expenditure for the year was £917. 1940-41 rates struck were : Special, £793 6s. sd. ; general, £1,369 Bs. 7d. The amount paid during the year on account of current rates and arrears was : Special, £1,093 4s. Id. ; general, £1,476 10s. 6d. Poukawa Drainage Area (15,567 Acres), Hawke's Bay. Maintenance of completed works was carried out during the year, and I am indebted to the Commissioner of Crown Lands, Napier, for the preparation and inspection of drain-cleaning contracts. The net maintenance expenditute during the year was £358 17s. Id. 1940-41 rates struck were : Special, £1,121 Is. sd. ; general, £312 Is. 2d. The amount paid during the year on account of current rates and arrears was : Special, £407 17s. Bd. ; general, £101 17s. lOd. I have, &c., R. L. Innis, Chief Drainage Engineer. The Under-Secretary for Lands, Wellington.

SWAMP LAND DRAINAGE SCHEME. Rate Accounts for Year ended 31st March, 1941. Kaitaia Dbainage Abba. Special Rate Accounts : Capital. Rural Town Rural 'f. 01 ™ Subdivision. Subdivision. Subdivision. Subdivision. 7>. £ £ Cr. £ £ Transfer to Reserve .. •• 467 64 Balance, Ist April, 1940.. .. .. 1,703 54 Interest charges 2,533 346 Rates levied 1940-41 .. .. .. 3,181 441 Remissions .. .. • • • • 148 1 10-per-cent. penalty on unpaid rates .. 2bl lb Balance, 31st March, 1941 .. .. 1,997 100 £5,145 £511 £5,145 £511 General Rate Accounts : Maintenance. Rural Town Rural '''. own Subdivision. Subdivision. Subdivision. Subdivision. Dr. £ £ Cr. £ £ Remissions .. 57 .. Balance, Ist April, 1940 .. ... 971 164 Cost of maintenance .. .. .. 1,230 200 Rates levied .. .. .. 1,773 201 Balance, 31st March, 1941 .. .. 1,610 174 10-per-cent. penalty on unpaid rates .. 9 £2,897 £374 £2,897 £374

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SWAMP LAND DRAINAGE SCHEME—continued. Rate Accounts for Year ended 31st March, 1941 —continued. Waihi Deainaqe Abba. Special Rate Accounts : Capital. Pukehina Kaikokopu Pukehina Kaikokopu Ward. Ward. Ward. "Ward. Dr. £ £ Cr. £ £ Balance, Ist April, 1940 .. .. 1,287 .. Balance, Ist April, 1940 .. .. •• 207 Transfer to Reserve .. .. .. 46 69 Rates levied .. .. .. .. 320 430 Interest charges .. .. .. 208 313 10-per-cent. penalty on unpaid rates .. 13 30 Balance, 31st March, 1941 .. .. 449 285 Adjustment in respeot of rates remitted .. 1,657 £1,990 £667 £1,990 £667 General Rate Accounts : Maintenance. Pukehina Kaikokopu Central Pukehina Kaikokopu Central Ward. Ward. Ward. Ward. Ward. Ward. Dr. £ £ £ Cr. £ £ £ Balance, Ist April, 1940 .. 458 .. 1,059 Balance, Ist April, 1940 .. .. .. 152 Maintenance-costs .. .. 92 459 367 Rates levied .. .. .. 176 579 551 Remissions .. .. .. .. . . 2 10-per-cent. penalty on unpaid rates 7 37 19 Balance, 31st March, 1941 .. 1,082 309 1,049 Adjustment in respect of rates remitted .. .. .. 1,449 .. 1,907 £1,632 £768 £2,477 £1,632 £768 £2,477 Pottkawa Drainage Abba. Special Rate Accounts : Capital. Cr. £ Gr. £ Transfer to Reserve .. .. .. .. ■. 154 Balance, Ist April, 1940 .. .. .. • • 325 Interest charges .. .. •• •• 924 Rates levied .. .. .. .. .. 1,121 Remissions .. .. .. .. .. 55 10-per-cent. penalty added to unpaid rates . . . . 87 Balance, 31st March, 1941 .. .. .. .. 400 £1,533 £1,533 General Rate Account: Maintenance. Cr. £ Cr. £ Balance, Ist April, 1940 .. .. .. • ■ 195 Rates levied .. .. .. .. .. 312 Cost of maintenance .. .. .. .. 359 10-per-cent. penalty added to unpaid rates .. .. 18 Remissions .. .. • • • • • ■ 162 Thirds .. . . . ■ • ■ .. .. 108 Balance, 31st March, 1941 .. .. .. .. 639 Adjustment in respect of Thirds previously credited to Drainage Works Account .. .. .. .. 917 £1,355 £1,355 Receipts and Payments Account for the Year ended 31st March, 1941. Public Works Consoll- Public Works ConsoliFund. dated Fund. Fund. dated Fund. Receipts. £ £ Payments. £ £ Rents from, national-endowment land in Waihi Rates refunded .. .. .. .. .. 2 Drainage Area .. .. • • • ■ 349 Kaitaia Drainage Area: Maintenance, cornInterest on sales of land .. .. .. 38 pleted works .. .. .. .. .. 1,538 Special rate for interest and sinking fund— Hikurangi Drainage Area : Drainage-works, Waihi Drainage Area .. .. •• 1,093 &c. .. .. .. .. .. 55 Kaitaia Drainage Area .. .. .. ■ • 942 Poukawa Drainage Area— Poukawa Drainage Area .. .. .. 408 Maintenance, completed works .. .. .. 295 General Rate for Administration and Drainage-works, &c. .. .. .. 3 Maintenance Waihi Drainage Area : Maintenance, comWaihi Drainage Area .. .. .. •• 1,485 pleted works .. .. .. .. .. 867 Kaitaia Drainage Area .. .. .. ■ • 484 Refund of recoveries on account of expenditure Poukawa Drainage Area .. .. •. 102 of previous years .. .. ■ • 4 Thirds .. . . .. • ■ ■ ■ • • 157 Transfer receipts to Treasury Adjustment Sundry rents .. .. •• •• •• 34 Account .. .. .. .. .. 5,314 Miscellaneous .. .. ■■ •• •• 222 Transfer receipts to Public Works Fund Credits in reduction of expenditure .. 758 .. Account .. .. .. .. 818 Recoveries on account of expenditure of previous years .. . • • • 60 Transfer of expenditure to Treasury Adjustment Account .. •• •• 2,702 Transfer of expenditure to Public Works Fund Account .. .. . • • ■ 62 £880 £8,016 £880 £8,016

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SWAMP LAND DRAINAGE SCHEME —continued. Balance-sheet as at 31st March, 1941. Liabilities. Assets. Capital Account— £ £ Kaitaia Drainage Area— £ i Public Works Fund .. .. .. 498,832 Allocated cost of work on which rates are Less Loans Redemption Account .. 405 levied— 498,427 Rural Subdivision .. .. •• 60,000 Reserve: Repayment of capital costs— Town Subdivision .. .. ■■ 8,200 Kaitaia Drainage Area — £ ~ ' Rural Subdivision .. .. 4,174 Excess cost of works not recoverable .. 1b4,i()l Town Subdivision .. .. 570 Interest Account: Amount chargeable to area 4,744 capitalized to 31st March, 1940 .. 168,958 Waihi Drainage Area — £ 333,059 Pukehina Subdivision .. 404 Waihi Drainage AreaLess capital liability Allocated cost of work on which rates are remitted .. .. 167 levied — 237 Pukehina Subdivision .. .. •• 5,000 Kaikokopu Subdivision .. 606 Kaikokopu Subdivision .. .. 843 Central Subdivision .. .. .. 4b, 3b7 Poukawa Drainage Area .. .. 1,171 " 58.867 Less capital liability .. .. 289 Excess cost of works not recoverable .. 28,643 . 882 Interest Account: Amount chargeable to area 6,469 and capitalized to 31st March, 1940 .. 48,576 77 91Q Rate Accounts — ' Special Rate Accounts : Capital— Poukawa Drainage Area— Kaitaia Drainage Area— Drainage-works .. .. ■■ 17,440 Rural Subdivision .. .. 1,997 Interest Account: Amount chargeable to area 1,472 Town Subdivision .. .. 100 ' 2,097 Hikurangi Drainage Area — Waihi Drainage Area— Drainage-works .. .. ..259,087 Kaikokopu Subdivision .. .. 285 Less amount written off .. . . 184,388 Pukehina Subdivision .. .. 448 Poukawa Drainage Area .. .. 400 74, bJ. 3,230 Interest Account: Amount chargeable to area General Rate Accounts : Maintenance — and capitalized to 31st March, 1940 .. 163,068 Kaitaia Drainage Area — ' Rural Subdivision .. .. 1,610 Mangawai Drainage Area— Town Subdivision .. .. 174 Drainage-works .. . . •• 1,87b 1 ; 784 Interest Account: Amount charged to works Waihi Drainage Area— ' to 31st March, 1939 .. .. .. 1,606 Pukehina Subdivision .. 1,083 ' T" Central Subdivision .. .. 1,049 ~ Kaikokopu Subdivision .. 309 Less amount written off .. .. 3,484 2,441 Poukawa Drainage Area .. .. 639 Harihari Drainage Area 4,864 Drainage-works .. .. 4,35.) Sundry creditors— Interest Account : Amount chargeable to area Miscellaneous .. .. .. .. 28 and capitalized to 31st March, 1940 .. 3,429 Departmental .. .. .. .. 7 7,784 35 Unpaid purchase-money on land sold on deterred Rents charged in advance .. .. .. .. 95 payment . . .. .. • • 'J® Payments in advance: Rates .. .. .. 1 Buildings .. .. .. •• 1 Buildings Suspense .. .. .. .. 229 Buildings: Loading .. .. Drainage Works Suspense .. .. .. .. 713 Plant and machinery .. .. .. ■■ 3,068 Writings-off in Suspense .. .. .. .. 5,286 Loose tools .. .. ■■ ■■ Treasury Adjustment Account .. .. .. 365,951 Stores on hand .. .. .. ■■ ■■ ',585 Motor-vehicles .. .. .. •. • • 1 Sundry debtors for Rates — Drainage Area. Capital. Maintenance. Kaitaia .. .. 24,504 10,496 35,000 Waihi .. .. 2,850 2,476 5,326 Poukawa .. .. 1,428 253 1,681 Sundry debtors — Rent under section 4 (2), Swamp Land £ Drainage Amendment Act, 1926 .. 117 House rents . . . . • • • • 2 Law-costs .. .. • • 1,097 Miscellaneous .. .. .. ■ • 11 Departmental . . .. ■ • ■ • '"J 1,337 Maintenance-costs (Hikurangi) .. . • • ■ 434 Premiums on conversion .. .. ■ • • • 51 Revenue Account —Waihi Drainage Area: Central Subdivision .. .. .. .. 16,914 General Revenue Account .. .. •• 10,135 Losses in Suspense .. .. • • ■ ■ 5,286 Interest accrued but not due .. .. • ■ 10 Cash in transit from Post Office . . .. • ■ 137 £885,300 £885,300 Note. —Up to 31st March, 1940, interest on the recoverable expenditure was charged against the Rate Accounts and interest on the balance of the expenditure was capitalized, but, in terms of Treasury Instruction No. 81, Treasury agreed that thereaftei interest on irrecoverable expenditure need not be brought into the accounts. R. G. Macmorran, Under-Secretary for Lands. G. I. Beeson, Chief Accountant. I hereby certify that the Rate 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 departmental note enfaced thereon and to the explanatory notes dealing with Departmental Accounts generally as appearing at commencement of parliamentary return 8.-l [Pt. IV].— Cyril Collins, Controller and AuditorGeneral.

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