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Kerikeri Block, Bay of Islands (8,000 Acres J. —Investigations were carried out on this block to determine if the swamp area could be economically drained, and, if so, was it sufficient in area and quality to make the settlement of the block an attractive proposition. A suitable roading and subdivision scheme was therefore also included in the investigations. The field-work had been in hand for about six weeks prior to the commencement of the period under review, and was completed about the middle of April. The main area of swamp lies in a valley, across the mouth of which a lava-flow in a past geological age has raised a barrier of rock of considerable depth and thickness. To obtain an outfall without piercing this rock a tunnelled outfall 600 ft. in length through a clay hill had long been considered. Investigations proved that this outfall was only necessary to the reclamation of about 120 acres at the lower end of the valley, as the area above this and amounting to about 460 acres could be drained down upon the lower area. Accordingly the tunnel project was abandoned and a scheme of drainage for the upland area prepared on the lines intimated above. The swamp is a peat one of fair quality, but the area is not sufficient in itself to induce dairying, therefore the subdivision of the block must be viewed as a grazing proposition. Acting on this view a scheme of roading which allows for subdivisions ranging from 300 acres to 1,300 acres has been prepared and is at present under consideration. Expenditure totals £125 19s. 4d. Haunui Settlement.—The above settlement comprises an area of high-grade river-flat lying in the valley of the Wangaehu River. The settlers —discharged soldiers—are dairying, but the lack of an efficient drainage-system seriously curtails the productive capacity of the land. This is self-evident on inspection, which reveals the frequency of small marshy areas and the prevalence of sedges growing to the exclusion of grass. The question of an efficient system of drainage for the area was referred to this office as the outcome of a resolution passed to that effect by the Dominion Revaluation Board. Accordingly a drainage survey was taken in hand, and the routes for the construction of various outfall and catchwater drains, totalling five miles in length, were pegged and levelled. A scheme of drainage, accompanied by plans, specifications, and estimates covering the construction of the proposed drains, was prepared. Accretions, Kaipara Harbour. —Investigatoins were carried out during the summer with a viewto the possibility of economically reclaiming several areas of mud-flats fronting the southern shore of the Kaipara Harbour. These mud-flats are submerged only at times of high spring tides, and are therefore sufficiently elevated for reclamation by the usual methods of stop-banking and flood-gating. The quality of the land is unquestioned and would stand a reasonably heavy expenditure on its reclamation. Owing, however, to the long length of stop-bank that would have to be erected in an' exposed position, thus calling for an additional heavy expenditure on protective works, the reclamation of the areas was considered to be too costly at the present time. The following schedule gives particulars of the principal operations carried out on the works under the direction of this branch Miles. Oh. Number. Cleaning drains .. .. .. 297 46 Pile bridges removed and replaced .. 2 Widening and deepening drains .. 81 28 Garage erected . . . . . . ] Constructing new drains .. .. 28 52 Pontoon built .. .. .. 1 Dredge cuts .. .. .. 53 63 Benzine-store erected .. .. 1 Re-forming roads . . .. . . 477 Landing-stage erected .. . . 1 Forming new roads.. .. .. 22 36 Erection of huts .. .. .. 2 Metalling roads .. .. .. 2 45 Fencing . . . . • . • • 1 70 Bundles. New stop-banks .. .. .. 045 Fascines used .. .. .. 4,079 Repairs to stop-banks .. .. 17 58 Levels taken .. .. .. 388 20 Metal used (for roads) .. .. 5,8*22 Traverses run .. .. .. 89 10 Clay used (for roads) .. .. 18,455 Line-cutting .. • ■ • ■ 41 J Spoil excavated by floating and dry Number. land excavators .. .. .. 1,786,725 Flood-gates built .. .. .. 11 Rock-excavation .. .. .. 56,460 Pile bridges erected .. .. 2 Stiff clay and rubble excavation .. 14,115 Office. —The expenditure passed through the books totalled £181,389 7s. 7d. Of this amount £62,861 Is. Id. was paid out of Thames and Whakatane Imprest Accounts for wages. Payments through the Auckland Branch of the Treasury amounted to £68,271 9s. lOd. Some 242 piecework contracts were let during the year, and some 4,056 vouchers were passed for payment. The total amount of miscellaneous revenue received was £4,671 16s. 3d., of which £604 14s. 9d. is represented by Patetonga tram freights. Inward correspondence totalled 6,015, outward 8,247. Mr. J. W. Harvey, who has acted as Chief Clerk, Accountant, and Collector of Rates for the past nine years, was transferred to Napier District Office at the end of the year. I wish to place on record my appreciation of the services to the Land Drainage Branch of this zealous and reliable officer. Collection of Rates. —The total amount received during the year was £11,035 lis. Id., credited as follows : Hauraki Plains, £10,959 4s. 4d. ; Rangitaiki Swamp, £76 6s. 9d. The number of assessments made for the year 1925-26 was 530. No rates were struck over the Rangitaiki area for this period.