C.—4,

Waihi Drainage Area (20,000 Acres), Tauranga County. Work in this area was confined entirely to maintenance of existing works. The main canals have remained in good order since the last redredging, and it is anticipated that with a certain amount of hand maintenance the employment of machinery will not be necessary for several years. All hand drains in the area were cleaned during the year, the greater number being done by competitive contracts, and repairs to flood-gates and stop-banks were carried out as required. The length of hand drains cleaned was 37 m. 36 chs. There is a good growth of millable flax on the areas east of the Wharere and Pongakawa Canals, but milling has been at a standstill owing to the depressed state of the market. The flax lease areas west of the Wharere were surrendered by the lessees, and areas totalling 330 acres were disposed of. The balance of the area amounting to 930 acres is being drained preparatory to development as grazing lands. A single men's relief camp for twenty men has been set up, and good work had been done up to the end of the period under review. Total expenditure for the year was £667 4s. 7d. Drainage rates were struck totalling £2,073 16s. 10d., and £697 15s. Bd. was collected. Poukawa Drainage Area (13,567 Acres), Hawke's Bay County. Late in the year an unemployed relief camp of twelve men was established in order to undertake the work of cleaning and deepening the dredged cut. At the end of the year 30 chains had been cleared and 15 chains deepened. The work of classifying the area for rating purposes under the provisions of the Swamp Drainage Act was duly carried out, and after appeals had been dealt with the rate was struck late in the year, totalling £1,369 Is. Expenditure totalled £197 4s. I have, &c., E. G. Macmorran, Chief Drainage Engineer. The Under-Secretary for Lands, Wellington.

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