C—B

1947 NEW ZEALAND

DEPARTMENT OF LANDS AND SURVEY Drainage Operations in Hauraki Plains REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1947

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly pursuant to Section 20 of the Hauraki Plains Act, 1926

Department of Lands and Survey, Wellington, 30th June, 1947. Sir, — I have the honour to present herewith the report of the Chief Drainage Engineer on operations carried out during the past year on the Hauraki Plains in accordance with the provisions of the Hauraki Plains Act, 1926. I have, &c., D. M. Greig, Under-Secretary for Lands. The Hon. the Minister of Lands.

REPORT OF CHIEF DRAINAGE ENGINEER Sir, — I have the honour to submit the thirty-ninth annual report on drainage and land-devolpment operations carried out on the Hauraki Plains. .The report covers the year ending 31st March, 1947. It is pleasing to be able to record a good year from both the production and the climatic angle. The rainfall of 52-55 in. was well above the average and was very evenly distributed throughout the year. The flax-mill established near Kerepeehi is still operating, and during the year 2,303 tons of green leaf were milled from natural and planted flax grown on Crown land. Flax royalties payable to the Crown amounted to £2BB. Owing to shortage of labour, work on the Hauraki Plains has been restricted almost entirely to essential maintenance. The usual programme of drain-cleaning has been completed in each district and a small amount of the most essential widening and deepening has been carried out. Maintenance of buildings and plant, which are becoming very old, has been a heavy item this year. As mentioned in previous reports, nearly all the main outlet drains and canals, and in particular those carrying upland water from the hills on the west of the plains, are in very bad state. Those that cross the peat areas must be deepened from time to time, and all of them are silting up badly. No work has been done on these drains for