C.—B

Maintenance-work included cleaning of 17 miles 44 chains of main, drains and improvement of 41 chains by manual labour. In the improvement of 300 chains of main drains 30,382 cubic yards of material was excavated by machine. The number of men employed on these works varied throughout the year between twenty-nine and forty-two. Central District. By manual labour 51 miles 42 chains of main drains were cleaned in the Kerepeehi, Patetonga, and Orongo districts and 10,662 cubic yards of material excavated in improving 6 miles 65 chains of main drains. Willows on both banks of the Awaiti Canal have been ring-barked for a distance of approximately 7 miles and new growth of willows has been cleared on the banks of the Piako and Waitoa Rivers that were previously cleared and are not under the control of the Thames Valley Drainage Board. In the Kerepeehi Extension No. 1 Block material excavated by hand in improving 9 miles 3 chains of boundary and field drains was 7,850 cubic yards, 13 miles 12 chains of similar drains were cleaned by manual labour, and 19 miles 37 chains by weed-cutting launch : also 2 miles 18 chains of fence was erected. The ferry service across the Piako River at Kaihere has been maintained with an interruption of fourteen days in January, when the punt was docked at Kerepeehi for painting and repairs. A depleted staff in the Kerepeehi Workshops has been busily engaged on construction and repair work connected with land-development operations and drainage-works on the Hauraki Plains and Waihi districts. The pump-station, which serves an area of 3,800 acres in the Kerepeehi Blocks, operated intermittently during July, September, and October for' a total period of 105J hours. Survey and Office Work. Engineering surveys carried out on the Hauraki Plains during the year required 23 miles of levels, 14 miles 20 chains of traverse lines, and the measurement of 6 miles 44 chains of drains and canals to determine excavation quantities. The total length of main and subsidiary drains constructed on the Hauraki Plains since the inception of the scheme is now 893 miles 11 chains. The principal works carried out on the Hauraki Plains during the year under review are summarized in the following schedule : — Length. Excavation. Miles. Ch. Cubic Yd. Drains cleaned by manual labour .. .. . . 135 31 Drains cleaned by weed-cutting launch .. .. 19 37 Drains widened and deepened by manual labour .. 29 20 36,189 New drains constructed by manual labour .. .. 0 32 515 Riveir-channel, canals, drains, and stop-banks improved by machines .. .. .. .. .. 8 3 156,025 Ballast. Clay ballast delivered on peat roads .. .. .. 2 0 12,619 Metal. Roads partly metalled or resurfaced .. .. .. 2 67 1,735 Acres. Area swamp harrowed or rolled with tractor . . . . . . 330 Area swamp cleared of scrub, &c. . . . . .. . . 581 Area swamp sown with grass . . . . .. .. 871 Area swamp resown with grass .. .. .. .. 276 River-banks cleared of willows .. .. .. 2 27 Willows ring-barked on banks of canal .. .. 7 0 Net capital expenditure amounted to £4,682, while the net maintenance costs was £3,777. The rates struck were £2,616, while £3,224 was collected on account of current and arrears of rates, I have, &c., R. L. Innis, Chief Drainage Engineer. The Under-Secretary for Lands, Wellington. STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS. A statement of accounts is published in parliamentary paper 8.-l [Pt. IV]. Approximate Cost of Paper.—Preparation, not given ; printing (475 copies) £5.

By Authority: E. V. Paul, Government Printer, Wellington.—l 942.

Price. 3d.

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