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On the Omakau Scheme, where water is sold on demand, sales for the year ending 31st March, reached 14,080 acre feet, as against 14,720 acre feet for the previous year. The financial statement for the Central Otago schemes shows revenue as £29,656 and working-expenses as £34,261, a loss of £4,605. There has been little change in the area irrigated on all schemes, this being 53,000 acres distributed among 510 irrigators. Normal maintenance and renewals have been carried out and the recording of stream flows and meteorological data have been continued. Parties have been engaged surveying the proposed Maniototo and Upper Clutha irrigation schemes. Canterbury.—Because of the low rainfall during the season, much better results have been obtained on all schemes in operation. There has been no increase in the area brought under irrigation, but 2 miles of race-formation have been completed that required 54,257 cubic yards of excavation. Sixty-nine reinforced-concrete structures and lj miles of fencing have been erected. Levels Plain Scheme —commanding 12,000 acres —has been in operation ten years. This year the revenue was £573. Redcliff Scheme—commanding 4,600 acres —has been in operation ten years. This year the revenue was £74. Ashburton-Lyndhurst Scheme —commanding 34,000 acres —has been in operation three years. A total area of 4,229 acres is now prepared for irrigation by the borderdyke system. During the year 1,066 acres have been prepared. The revenue was £1,400." Rangitata Diversion Race : Apart for a shut-down from 25th to 31st March, 1948, a full maximum flow of 1,000 cusecs has been maintained throughout the year. Two hundred cusecs were used for the Ashburton-Lyndhurst Scheme from September to March, and the remainder has been used for power purposes at the Highbank Powerstation. WATER-SUPPLY Rehutai Water-supply.—Renewal of pumping and delivery mains has been completed, 4,500 ft. of galvanized pipe and 3,430 ft. of asbestos-cement pipe having been laid. Oturei Water-supply. —The alternative scheme to supply the Maori population has been completed. An automatic pump has been installed, a 10,000-gallon reservoir built, and 4,255 ft. of pumping main and 12,145 ft. of delivery mains laid. Ngamahunga Farm Settlement Water-supply. —A reservoir has been built, and new piping and an electrically driven pump has been installed. Downlands Water-supply. —All construction work is complete and normal maintenance only is required. Wellington Water-supply—The three reinforced-concrete bridges on the access road to the headworks are now complete. The flume bridge between Nos. 1 and 2 tunnels is under construction. No. 1 tunnel was started during the year and 700 ft. have been driven, working from one heading only. Work on No. 2 tunnel has progressed a further 3,625 ft., working from both ends. No. 4 tunnel, 726 ft. long, was also started during the year ; driving is complete and 360 ft. have been lined. All three tunnels are excavated to a nominal size of 7 ft. by 5 ft. The work of improving alignment and width of the Haywards-Paremata Main Highway is continuing. To date 300,000 cubic yards of earth and rock have been moved. Formation of the pipe-bench, 24 ft. wide, between Judgeford and Takapu Road (a distance of 4 miles) has been completed, and cattle-stops have been installed at fence-lines.

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