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1915. NEW ZEALAND.

RANGITAIKI LAND DRAINAGE: REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1915; TOGETHER WITH STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS.

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

Sir, — Department of Lands and Survey, Wellington, Ist June, 1915. I have the honour to submit herewith the report upon drainage operations in the Rangitaiki Plains for the year ended 31st March, 1915, pursuant to the provisions of the Rangitaiki Land Drainage Act, 1910. 1 have quite lately visited the district and inspected the various works already completed and those now in hand. With my previous knowledge of the country I was more than gratified to witness the transformation that has been effected by the drainage operations. The bulk of the land is now completely unwatered, and everywhere is to be seen active signs of farming, &o. The Rangitaiki River diversion has proved to be all that could be wished for, and I anticipate that considerable shipping will enter same in the future. An active policy of prosecution of all works is carried out, and will be continued. It, would be difficult to estimate the far-reaching benefits to the Dominion that must ensue from the very successful reclamation of this vast swamp land now made fertile and reproductive. The expenditure to date has been as follows : — £ s. d. For the year ended .'list March. 1912 ... ... ... 12,140 0 0 1913 ... ... ... ,15,203 0 0 1914 ... ... ... 17,873 3 (7 1915 ... ... 15,990 2 8 Total .... ... ... ... ... .£61,206 6 2 In the attached report of the Chief Drainage Engineer (Mr. J. B. Thompson) is set forth details of the operations carried out under his direction during the year. On account of my early retirement from the control of the Department of Lands and Survey, having now reached the age-limit, this will be my final annual report on these operations, and I wish to place on record my highest appreciation of the able manner in which the work from its inception up to the present time has been carried out and administered from the financial, professional, and settlement standpoints. This result is primarily due to the far-seeing forethought and businesslike supervision exercised by the Engineer in charge (Mr. J. B. Thompson) and his Assistant Engineer (Mr. Owen N. Campbell). What struck me more than anything else in going through the works now in progress was the unspoken evidence that from the officers in charge

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