a—B.

In January a camp for twenty men was established at Tahuna. Employed on a co-operative-contract basis, these men ring-barked the willows on the Piako River between the junction of the Waitoa River and the Tahuna Bridge, a distance of 7 miles 25 chains. The camp was then moved to Springdale and the willows on the Waitoa River ring-barked for a distance of 6 miles 40 chains upstream from the Piako Junction, and a smaller workingparty of ten men accommodated on house-boats ring-barked the willows on the Piako River 2 miles 55 chains down-stream from the Waitoa River Junction, and cleared the channel of fallen willows for a distance of 3 miles 25 chains (19 miles 15 chains to 22 miles 40 chains). Surveys and Ofbtce Work. Engineering surveys carried out during the year comprised 1,767 chains of traverse and 1,189 chains of levelling. Land surveys of fourteen rural sections, five township sections, and two roads were also carried out. River-stage records and discharge-measurements were obtained as required for flood-control investigations. Plans of the pumping-station were prepared in the Kerepeehi office. A considerable amount of routine work is involved in the periodical measurement of the work carried out by the dredges and contractors, the fortnightly wages and contract payments to 150 to 200 men scattered over a large area, the monthly payments to standard workers and contractors, and the management of the camp mess accounts. Summary. The total length of subsidiary drains constructed in connection with the Hauraki Plains works to date is 767 miles 64 chains. The principal works carried out during the year are shown in the following tabular statement: — Length. Excavation. M. oh. Cub. Yd. Drains cleaned by manual labour . . . . 85 57 Drains widened and deepened by manual labour . . . . 13 34 19,342 Drains, new construction, by manual labour . . 10 2 17,925 Stop-banks raised by manual labour .. . . . . 125 8,400 Channel enlarged and stop-banks raised, manual labour . . 050 14,955 Total excavation by manual labour . . . . . . 60,622 River-channels and canals deepened with dredges . . .. 2 12 52,517 Metal. Roads reformed and metalled . . .. • • • • 147 1,184 Roads reformed and metalled, base-course only . . . . 315 2,596 Metalled roads resurfaced .. . . ■ • • • 319 653 Total metal spread .. • • • • • • 4,433 Ballast. New roads formed . . .. • • • • 0 60 Clay ballast delivered on peat road by light railway . . .. 11,044 3-ft.-gauge tramway laid .. . . • • 0 20 Willows ring-barked on river-channel . . . . . . 16 40 River-channel cleared of fallen willows .. . . 3 25 Fences erected .. • ■ • • • • 2 43 Acres. Area sown in grass .. ■ • • • • • • • ■ • • • 200 Area cleared of blackberry and gorse . . .. ■ • ■ ■ • • 80 Number. Fascines used for road-construction . . .. . . -. • • 1,600 Sleepers used for road-construction . . . . .. .. ■ • 3,159 Works Expenditure. Expenditure totalled £20,615 6s. 6d. Drainage rates struck totalled £1,534 12s. 7d., and £1,340 9s. 9d. was collected. I have, &c., R. G. Macmorran, Chief Drainage Engineer. The Under-Secretary for Lands, Wellington.

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