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1916. NEW ZEALAND

DEPARTMENT OF LANDS AND SURVEY: SWAMP DRAINAGE: REPORT FOR YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1916; TOGETHER WITH STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS.

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

Sim, — Department of Lands and Survey, Wellington, Ist May, 1916. I have the honour, pursuant to section 13 of the Swamp Drainage Act, 1915, to report that, although it has not been found possible to commence actual drainage operations, much valuable work has been carried out in the way of inspections and the taking of the necessary preliminary steps preparatory to the constitution of drainage areas. The Act came into force on the Ist October, 1915, and prior to the 31st March last the Kaitaia drainage area, which embraces a large tract of country in the North of Auckland, was constituted. This comprises the area in the late Kaitaia drainage district—the Kaitaia Land Drainage Act, 1913, being now repealed. The affairs of the late Board were taken over in October last, the services of the Engineer to the late Board being retained and utilized by the Land Drainage Branch. The matter of extending the rating-area was fully gone into and new boundaries gazetted. The work done during the year was purely technical, and comprised the compilation of necessary data, together with engineering surveys, as follows: Traverses, 20 miles 6 chains; v levels, 45 miles 78 chains; cross-sections, 22 miles 20 chains; soundings, 11 miles; and check levels, 5 miles. Plans of the above are nearly complete, but weather-conditions hampered fieldwork generally. The land throughout the area —with the exception of portion of south-west corner—is of excellent quality. The expenditure for the year was £140 2s. 9d., which, together with liabilities of late Board, will be to charge as soon as necessary money is raised as provided by the Act. Actual drainage operations will be entered upon in from three to four months' time. The question of gazetting further lands in the Dominion will result in the almost immediate gazetting of the Poukawa drainage area, Hawke's Bay, and the Waihi drainage area, Auckland, and the Chief Drainage Engineer is now reporting upon other suitable areas. I have, (fee, T. N. Brodrick, Under-Secretary. Statement op Accounts (as required by Section 13 op the Swamp Drainage Act, 1915) for the Year ended 31st March, 1916. Receipts. Expenditure. Nil. . Nil.

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