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Works Expenditure.—The total expenditure for the year was £990 4s. 6d., being confined practically to maintenance of existing drains. Drainage Rates.—The rates struck amounted to £3,883 145., entailing some 577 rate notices. £1,612 19s. Bd. was actually collected. Hikurangi Drainage Area (50,000 Acres), Whangarei County. Rainfall.— The rainfall through the year, though heavy at times, has on one occasion only caused fairly serious flooding of the swamp area. The year's total recorded at the Apotu gauge was 53-65 m., and rain fell on 148 days. Floods. —The maximum stage recorded at the Jordan Bridge was 31 ft. on the 30th April, and earlier in the same month a stage of 29-4 ft. was reached. The high stages did not remain long on either occasion. Data.—Data of precipitation of water, stages, &c., has been collected continuously at various stations, and the whole of this data has been plotted in graph form. The three Gurly automatic stage recorders are now located at (1) Purua Bridge, (2) Lewis Bridge, (3) near junction of Whakapara and Waiotu Streams. Construction Work. —Construction work through the year has been almost wholly on improvements to the lower reaches of the river. Excavator Work. —Wairua River. Main Diversions and Spillways— No work was carried out during the period. Iliver-ititptov6w..ent. —No. 12 Bucyrus carried out excavation of the rubble and silt bar immediately below No. 8 diversion, and has also improved the narrow portion of the channel for some 10 chains above No. 7 diversion and from 4 m. 35 ch. to 5 m. 5 ch. No. 3 Priestman snagged the river and improved the channel from 1 m. 65 ch. to 40 ch. No. 14 Bucyrus excavated over rock bars which needed drilling and blasting, from No. 1 diversion down to 1 m. 55 ch. and from G-H diversion up to 1 m. 44 ch. Hand Work. River-improvement.—Early in the year a contractor snagged the river over a length of 40 chains below Jordan. No. 5 Diversion. —The deep cut-ofl drain, back-filled over stone and timber, was completed. No. 8 Diversion.—Work was in hand to lower the grade of the cut-off drain behind the land-side spoil-bank, but was abandoned on the temporary closing of works. Maintenance.—Cleaning of the Mangawhero improvement is in hand by No. 5 Scheme workers from Hikurangi. Plant and Machinery. Bucyrus Plant.—Nos. 12 and 14 excavators only have been working as drag-lines on riverimprovement. The wear-and-tear has been excessive in respect to buckets and ropes used in grappling with timber and rock under water. No. 13 Bucyrus. —This excavator is parked at Apotu. No. 26 Dipper. —This excavator has been dismantled, the house re-erected at Apotu, and machinery, &c., stored therein. No 3 Priestman.—hate in the year this excavator was dismantled and all gear reasonably handled with our own lorry transported to Apotu for storage. The pontoon remains moored in the river and will probably be used later for transport of drag-lines. Drilling and Compressor Plant.—This was not used through the year, and remains stored at Apotu. Locomotives, Trucks, &c.—No use has been made of this plant. One locomotive has been transferred to Hauraki Plains. Truck and Cars— One 30 cwt. truck and two cars have been in use through the year. Workshops. —These have been staffed, as occasion has demanded, to facilitate bucket and machinery repairs, &c. Other Works. Survey Work. —Levels, cross-sections, &c., have been taken as required. Relief Works —Since November an average number of twenty-one No. 5 Scheme men from Hikurangi have been absorbed. The work has been in major improvements to the lower reaches of the old Mangawhero Stream and in cleaning the Mangawhero Stream improvement. Provosals for Coming Year.—k limited programme of excavator work for improvement from Rapids to Lewis' Bridge is proposed. Hand work will be confined to works authorized for No. 5 Scheme workers, and in cleaning and maintenance where required. Ratinq and Classification.— Towards the end of the financial year two classifiers were appointed for purpose of classifying all the lands in the drainage area for rating purposes. The field work has been completed and the necessary formalities for striking rates are under way. Works Expenditure. —The expenditure for the year totalled £4,063 Bs. 3d.

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