f!— 4

2

The following schedule shows details of rainfall for the past eight years : —

The average for the past eight years was 47-79 in. Awanwi River. —Dredges Nos. 7 and 10 (Priestman) were engaged in widening, deepening, and straightening this river, whilst scoops were made use of where possible to remove the top soil from cuttings in high country where it was impossible for the dredges to dispose of the large amount of spoil necessary for the excavation of the channel. On nearing Awanui one settler's bridge had to be dismantled and re-erected, whilst at Awanui the centre span of the bridge on the main road had to be dismantled in order to allow the dredges to pass through. Owing to the limited space between the piles, only a few inches beyond the width of the pontoon being available, the chutes on both dredges had to be dismantled. From the bridge northwards the river is used by both steamers and scows, and as the chutes on the dredges would have interfered with shipping a rearrangement of chutes was carried out. Only one chute was replaced on ea,ch dredge, special bracing for the chute retained being necessary, and in addition ballast had to be placed in the pontoons so as to keep them on an even keel. The river has been widened out to 60 ft. on bottom as far as Awanui, and from this point on the channel has been widened out to 70 ft. In addition the silt and timber were removed where found necessary. At the end of the year both dredges as well as scoop teams were employed in excavating a diversion below Awanui, which will assist navigation as well as drainage. In carrying out this work some of the spoil had to be handled twice, especially when the dredges were commencing the cut. A total distance of 2 miles 60 chains was dredged, 108,358 cubic yards of spoil being removed by dredges, and 24,500 cubic yards by scoops. The cost of dredging has necessarily been more expensive this year on account of the dismantling at the bridges and the double handling of spoil at the cut below Awanui. Whangatane Spillway. —Dredge No. 22 (Bay City) was employed in excavating this channel, which will provide relief for flood-waters from the river at Kaitaia. This will benefit the whole district, and it is hoped to be able to open this channel for next winter. By the end of the year the dredge had reached tidal water, only 20 chains remaining to be dredged in order to give the spillway a good outlet into a tidal creek which provides a natural channel into Rangaunu Bay. Hard sandstone has been encountered at a depth of 7 ft. to 8 ft. at the lower end of the channel, and this formation continues for the remainder of the distance. As the plant cannot excavate this material, the spoil banks have been built up to 5 ft. above high-water mark, and these banks will protect the adjacent low-lying lands when the spillway is carrying flood-water. For some distance above the Kaingaroa-Awanui Road sand was located in the bottom of the channel, and the weight of the dredged banks caused the sides to slip, thus reducing its capacity considerably. In this locality a wide berm will require to be left, so that the channel will not become blocked with, the slips. A distance of 112 chains was dredged, necessitating the removal of 51,085 cubic yards of spoil. Bridges have been erected as required to give access to properties severed by the dredged channel, as well as at road-crossings. Dredges.—The three dredges employed on these works have removed a total of 159,443 cubic yards, the average cost for the year being 10-48 d. per cubic yard. The following figures show the comparison of output and cost per cubic yard for the past five years :— Spoil removed. Cost per (Cubic Yards.) Cubic Yard. 1921-22 .. .. .. ..61,309 10-20 d. 1922-23 .. .. .. ..138,900 10-47 d. 1923-24 .. .. .. .. 162,081 10-72 d. 1924-25 .. .. .. ..149,789 10-55 d. 1925-26 ... .. .. ..159,443 10-48 d. Brains.—Some 200 chains of new drains were constructed during the year, whilst in addition the Tarawhakaroa Stream was improved near the Kaitaia Township for a distance of 80 chains by killing willows, removing snags and sandstone bars. Some ten miles of drains were cleaned and three and a half miles improved by deepening. In certain localities the drains still require to be deepened so as to bring them to the final grade, but several of these are now i$ hand, and on completion all fall available will have been taken advantage of. Roads. —No formation of roads has been carried out during the year. Stop-banks.—No further stop-banks were constructed, but eight miles were repaired and the adjoining drains cleaned. The sixteen flood-gates in operation were inspected periodically and kept in repair.

Year. Wettest Month and Rainfall. Driest Month and Rainfall. Inches. Inches. Inches. 1918-19 .. 47-30 Oct., 1918 .. .. 9-06 Aug., 1918 .. 1-39 1919-20 .. 31-71 July, 1919 .. .. 7-37 Dec., 1919 .. 0-62 1920-21 .. 53-11 May and Aug., 1920 .. 8-02 (each) Mar., 1921 .. 1-13 1921-22 .. 49-42 Mar., 1922 .. .. 5-84 Jan., 1922 .. 2-24 1922-23 .. 44-81 Oct., 1922 .. .. 7-46 Jan., 1923 .. 2-02 1923-24 .. 49-23 Oct., 1923 .. .. 7-92 Dec., 1923 .. 1-38 1924-25 .. 48-89 May, 1924 .. .. 10-34 Mar., 1925 .. 0-51 1925-26 .. 57-90 May, 1925 .. .. 10-43 Feb., 1926 .. 0-88