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The seasons experienced over the past few years have been very favourable to the improvement of the partly developed areas on the Rangitaiki Plains, and this has proceeded steadily despite the low prices ruling for produce. A vast improvement is noticeable in the areas surrounding the Kopeopeo Canal, where areas previously waterlogged are now coming into good pasture, mainly owing to the benefits received from the new outlet and flood-gate installations. There is still a considerable area in the Plains which is producing very little, or not to capacity. Part of the large increase in production for the year can be attributed to the improved quality of stock and farming methods, coupled with the good season experienced. The Rangitaiki Plains Dairy Co. manufactured for the year 3,366 tons of butter, an increase of 541 tons over last year's production. The Arawa Dairy Co., which draws a portion of its supplies from the Plains, manufactured 450 tons of butter. Work on the low-lying areas held for flax-cultivation has consisted almost entirely in the maintenance of present cultivation. There has been noticeable improvement in these areas over the past two years. It is possible that certain of these areas will be quite suitable for dairying or grazing purposes, failing an early return to payable market prices for hemp. Rainfall. —The average rainfall for the past fifteen years has been 51-78 in., and the total for the year under review 45-95 in., rain falling on fifty-eight days. February was the wettest month, with a fall of 8-40 in., and November the driest, with a fall of 0-76 in. Maintenance. —The hand drains throughout the area were regularly maintained, a good portion of this work being done by competitive contract. Improvement and deepening work was carried out on several lengths of drains. A considerable length of dredged canal was cleaned of growth by hand labour, the aim with certain lengths of canal being to maintain a full-depth waterway in the middle of the canal to take the normal flow and clear the balance to take care of the flood flow. The Sanderson weed-cutting launch was used to remove the growth from the waterway of several miles of canal. One new length of drain was constructed on the west bank of the Te Rahu Canal to link up the existing drains with a flood-gate placed during the previous year. All flood-gates and stop-banks in the area were repaired and maintained as required. Dredges.—The only dredge in operation during the year was the light Bay City walker, which commenced late in the preceding year cleaning and removing silt from the Te Rahu Canal, and rebuilding a length of stop-bank over a section of peat country where considerable subsidence had taken place. This plant has proved admirably suited for a large range of maintenance work on this area at a low cost for wages and fuel. Work was completed on the Te Rahu Canal during the year, and plant was moved to similar work on the Eastern Drain. The distance dredged during the year was 333 chains, some 34,579 cubic yards of spoil being removed, of which 15,625 cubic yards was deposited and graded by plant to form a stop-bank. One of the Priestman dredges was put into commission by the Public Works Department. Drains in Operation.—One new drain, 39 chains in length, was constructed during the year. A length of 194 chains of drain, constructed in connection with the development of the Onepu Block, was handed over for maintenance purposes. The total length of drains in operation is as follows : Dredge canals, 68 miles 28 chains ; main outlet drains, 112 miles 22 chains ; road drains, 30 miles 46 chains. Of these, 102| miles of hand drains are maintained annually by the Department. The canals are machine maintained periodically as required, the growth being removed as becomes necessary from a length of 31 miles of canal either by hand or with the Sanderson Weed-cutter. Plant and Machinery.—This consists of two Priestman dredges, one Monighan, one Bay City dipper, one Bay City drag-line, one Priestman pontoon, two coal-punts, one oil-launch, and three small boats and punts. Summary of work done:— Miles oh. Cubic yd. Drains constructed .. .. . . .. 039 2,045 Drains deepened and widened .. .. .. .. 374 9,172 Drains cleaned .. .. . . .. . . 98 10 Drains cleaned by hand .. .. .. 12 42 Canals cleaned by weed-cutter .. .. .. 11 30 Spoil dredged .. .. .. .. ..4 13 34,579 Rates.—Rates struck for 1932-33 totalled £11,393 7s. lid., entailing some 822 rate demands. £7,070 9s. sd. was collected. I have, &c., R. G. Macmorran, Chief Drainage Engineer. The Under-Secretary for Lands, Wellington.

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