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The workshop at Thornton again had a very busy year attending to the repairs and maintenance of all excavators, tractors, trucks, and cars. One especially large job handled was the dismantling, transport, repair, and re-erection of the Monighan dragline. The weight of this machine is about 35 tons, and its transport across the Rangitaiki River was made more difficult by the cumbersome nature of some of the parts. Expenditure and Rates Expenditure on maintenance for the year amounted to £13,579. Rates struck : Special, £10,506 ; general, £9,187. Rates collected, including arrears : Special, £10,381 ; general, £9,033. The amount shown as expenditure on maintenance may be subject to slight variation on completion of accounts. Maori Rating The total Maori rates paid, including arrears, during the year under review was £2,106. Maori rates levied for the year 1946-47 amounted to £2,123. I have, &c., E. Taylor, 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].

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