c.— i.

During tie year 320 acres were cleared and stumped ; 220 acres ploughed ; 184 acres cultivated, grassed, and manured ; 1 mile 74 chains fences erected ; 7,000 trees planted ; three cottages, two store-sheds, and one hut built. Murupara Block Development (1,500 acres). —An area of light pumice land on which development operations under the Small Farms Scheme were commenced in September, 1933, with relief workers whose wages were found by the Unemployment Board, and will have preference in selecting sections when developed. . The area was covered with a moderately heavy growth of manuka and gorse, which is being felled and burnt, and the land ploughed and cultivated before sowing in grass and crops. Buildings were erected to accommodate the workers engaged on development and permanent section buildings, and fences are being erected as the works proceed. Cottages are generally of fourroomed type, comprising kitchen, living-room, two bedrooms, with combined laundry and bathroom. A good unfailing stream enters the area at a convenient point and it is proposed to reticulate the area by gravity supply. Some seventeen sections will be reticulated, as the remaining five have a natural water-supply. Headworks will comprise earth dam and stream by-pass with headwall, gate, and flume leading to settling-tanks. The mains consisting of 3 in., 2f in., 2 in., and 1 in. diameter tubes, will be 18,500 ft. long, and water is to be laid on to cottages, milking-shed, and troughs with. 20,000 ft. of f in. piping. To date the following work has been completed : 755 acres cleared and stumped ; 090 acres ploughed and cultivated ; 700 acres grassed and manured ; 30 acres turnips ; 4 miles 26 chains fencing erected, and three cottages built, with two partly built with two store-sheds and one hut. Tarawera Farm Settlement.—An area of 860 acres adjoining Onepu Settlement near Te Teko, on which development was commenced late in the year. This area is undulating ash country in fern and manuka, of which approximately 500 acres is capable of development and subdivision into seven sections. A water-supply is obtainable from small lakes and the adjoining Tarawera River. Work carried out comprised 150 acres cleared, harrowed, and grassed, on which a good strike was obtained ; 56 chains drains constructed ; and three buildings erected for accommodation of workers. Fencingmaterial has been delivered and erection of fences and buildings will be taken in hand at an early date. Kaitaia Small Farms.—The work of developing for small farms this area of approximately 1,000 acres of Crown land near Kaitaia was commenced late in July. A camp was erected and since that date it has been fully manned with thirty to forty local unemployed. A good class of worker has been forthcoming and very fair progress made. -j-j The principal works carried out comprise opening up old drains, construction ot new drains, installing flood-gates, and clearing and stumping for grassing. At the end of the year 12 acres of grass-seed was sown on prepared land and a further 50 acres had been stumped, levelled, and disked in readiness for sowing. Approximately 100 acres will be sown this season, and the balance of the area that is being developed is sufficiently dewatered by drains already constructed to provide feed for cattle next summer. During next season it is anticipated that the whole area can be prepared for sowing by either disking, harrowing, or burning as required on the different classes of country. Other major works necessary before the area can be settled are access and internal roads, further drains, fencing, artesian water-supply, and buildings. _ The work done comprises three flood-gates installed ; 348 chains old drains deepened and widened , 377 chains new drain constructed ; 60 acres stumped, levelled, and disked ; 12 acres grassed , 20 chains fencing erected. , . , ' . , Miranda Drainage Scheme.—This work, which commenced m November, 1931, was carried out by the Department for the Hauraki Plains County Council, and was completed in May, 1933. The scheme provides drainage for an area of 4,700 acres of rich, low-lying littoral swamp lying to the west of Waitakaruru Township. To secure a subsidy from the Unemployment Board the work was carried out by manual labour on the co-operative contract principle. This necessitated the adoption of somewhat unusual construction methods, including the excavation with shovels and barrows of a canal 27 ft. wide. n ~ * x. x. The complete scheme entailed the construction of miles of dram and 3 miles ioreshore stopbank, together with several bridges and outlet structures. Patetongd Top Road Metalling.—The metalling of this road was commenced m October, 1932, and completed in March, 1934. Some 4 miles 30 chains of road was reconstructed and metalled with relief labour on behalf of the Hauraki Plains County Council. During the year 2,590 cubic yards metal was quarried, hand-broken, and spread on the road, and 2 miles 60 chains of road reconstructed. Small Farm Areas, Hauraki Plains. —Two areas near Kerepehi have been developed for small farms by draining, clearing, cultivation, and sowing with grass-seed. A milking-shed was erected on one area, together with necessary fencing. Two sections are also being developed at Mangatarata and 56 acres were ploughed m the spring and cultivated in autumn preparatory to sowing. Erection of dwellings and cow-sheds is now in h md ßlackshaw's Small Farm (Cambridge) .—An area of 250 acres near Cambridge is being developed for small farms. A co-operative contract party of eight local unemployed has been engaged on draining and to the end of the period had completed 49 chains of draining, entailing the excavation of 4,153 cubic yards. . , Wharekohe Block.—Through the greater part of the year a small camp of rebel workers was employed on drainage works. The work carried out comprised 1 mile 20 chains stream-improvement and 30 chains new drain constructed. Puketoitoi Block.—A relief camp was engaged in drainage work m the north-east corner ol this area and effected stream improvements over a length of 1 mile 20 chains, together with construction of 1 mile 15 chains of new drains.

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