DEPARTMENT OF LANDS AND SURVEY SWAMP DRAINAGE REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1950

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1950 Session I, C-04

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1950 NEW ZEALAND

DEPARTMENT OF LANDS AND SURVEY SWAMP DRAINAGE REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1950

Presented to Both Houses of the General Assembly Pursuant to Section 13 of the Swamp Drainage Act, 1915

Sir, — Department of Lands and Survey, Wellington, 22nd August, 1950. In pursuance of section 13 of the Swamp Drainage Act, 1915, I have the honour to submit the report covering operations on lands proclaimed under the Swamp Drainage Act and amendments during the year ended 31st March, 1950. I have, &c., D. M. Greig, Director-General of Lands. The Hon. the Minister of Lands.

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REPORT Since the last report was published this Department's Chief Drainage Engineer has retired, and by arrangement the field and engineering duties carried out by him in the past are now discharged by the Ministry of Works, which has supplied the information on which this report is based. KAITAIA DRAINAGE AREA (61,430 ACRES), MANGONUI COUNTY Exceptionally heavy rain during May and June seriously delayed drain-maintenance work in this district, but it was nevertheless possible to complete the annual maintenance work by the end of July. Approximately 180 chains of Puckey's Outfall Drain was enlarged by drag-line excavator, and subsequent heavy rains proved this work to be most successful. Additional work carried out by drag-line excavator included the formation of 100 chains of stopbank to bridge a gap in the stop-banks along the Awanui River and afford protection to a portion of the Kumi Development Block. The regrading and widening of some 180 chains of the Waipapakauri Outfall Drain was also completed. This work was very necessary, as in some places the waterway had almost completely collapsed. Drains widened and deepened by manual labour during the year included portions of Reid's Eastern, Matthew's Outfall, Hoddle's, and Abbot's Drains. Some 50 chains of silt deposited from the newly formed Kaitaia Golf-links was also cleared from Lewis and adjoining drains on Crown land. Subsidence of the peat land has created additional drainage problems in this district and an investigational survey of the swamp areas is proceeding as rapidly as the staff available for this work will permit. This engineering investigation is in the nature of an overhaul of the existing drainage and is aimed at determining what remedial measures are required and also what is necessary to alleviate flooding in Kaitaia Township. The possibilities of draining marginal lands will also be investigated. . Expenditure and Rates. —Maintenance expenditure charged against the Rate Account for the year amounted to £2,283. Rates struck : Special, £2,751 ; general, £2,242. Rates collected, including arrears : Special, £2,120 ; general, £2,248. Rebates (33£ per cent.) allowed on special rates on account of prompt payment amounted to £624. Figures for Maori rating are included and are shown as follows : Maori rates struck were £324. Payments of Maori rates amounted to £233 and the rebates allowed total £54. HIKURANGI DRAINAGE AREA (50,000 ACRES), WHANGAREI COUNTY No work was carried out in this area. WAIHI DRAINAGE AREA (50,000 ACRES), TAURANGA COUNTY No further construction work was carried out during the year in the two pumping areas comprising part of the Wharere Block. The older area known as the Northern Pumping Area has been settled for some time and the ground in the most part has finished consolidation. It is considered that an additional pump is now required to maintain adequate drainage. In 1948-49 a new pumping area was put into operation with the installation of one 5,000-gallon-per-minute pump. This pump is only sufficient for the initial stage, and the station has been designed to accommodate a second pump as it becomes necessary to include a larger acreage in the pumping area. Plans are being prepared and estimates have already been prepared to place these additional pumps in both the old and new areas.

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Special rating areas will require to be considered for the repayment of capital and operating costs of this scheme. The second contract for the straightening and widening of an additional length of the Pongakawa River south of the railway has been let and completed during the year. This additional length consisted of 55 chains. Approval was also given to the request of the settlers to let a third contract of 92 chains which brought the improved channel up to the old coach road. This was also undertaken by the same contractor and has been completed. The carrying-out of this work in the upper part of the Pongakawa River is expected to result in some considerable silting in the length below the railway, and as it is not likely to ease off much for a year or more it has been necessary to hold over the redredging of the lower reaches of the river. The work of removing silt from the Wharere Canal was continued with the use of the RB. 19 drag-line excavator. During the year 185 chains of channel were improved. This work is lessening the tendency for seepage into lower areas of the Wharere Block, although the main purpose is to prevent spillover in flood-time. Maintenance work consisted of the normal drain-cleaning by hand labour. The total length cleaned for the twelve months ended 31st March was 37 miles 19 chains. This work was all done on a contract basis. Expenditure and Rates.—Expenditure on maintenance for the year amounted to £1,597. Rates struck : Special, £765 ; general, £1,608. Rates collected, including arrears : Special, £716 ; general, £1,548. Poukawa Drainage Area (15,567 Acres), Hawke's Bay Maintenance-work was carried out during the year, and I am indebted to the Commissioner of Crown Lands, Napier, for the preparation and inspection of draincleaning contracts and payments made to contractors. Expenditure and Rates. —Maintenance expenditure charged against the Rate Account for the year amounted to £517. Rates struck: Special, £1,002 ; general, £312. Rates collected, including arrears : Special, £642 ; general, £197. During the year, charging-orders for outstanding Maori rates have been granted in most cases by the Maori Land Court in respect of rates unpaid during previous years. An area of land on which a major sum of Maori rates is levied each year and in respect of which default in payment of rates has been made, owing to the land not being in production, is now leased to a European lessee, and a condition of the lease is that current rates be paid as they fall due. t STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS A statement of accounts is published in parliamentary paper B-l [Pt. IV]. STAFF I wish to thank the officers of the Ministry of Works for their co-operation during the year, and also make special reference to Mr. E. Taylor, who has retired from the position of Chief Drainage Engineer. He was associated with drainage projects during the greater part of his career in the Public Service, during which time he came to be held in very high regard by members of the staff and settlers alike. Approximate Cost of Paper.—Preparation, not given ; printing (664 copies), £6. By Authority: B. E. Owen, Government Printer, Wellington.—l9so. Price 3d.]

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