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Statement of Accounts (as required by Section 10 <>f the Hauraki Plains Act. 1908). for the Year ended 31st March. 1911. Receipts. Expenditure. 1010. £ s. (I. 1911. £ b. (1. April 1. To Balance —fash in Public Ac- Mar. 31. By Expenditun— count .. .. .. 7.002 11 7 Salaries .. .. 388 10 10 1911, £ s. d. Travelling allowances and Mai. 31. To Land-sales .. 2.2ti:i 0 0 expenses, camp allowRents .. 3,710 13 10 ances, and general exMiscellaneouH.. 40 15 10 penses of administration 2:!.". (I 0 Sales of cattle, Purchase and equipment of &c. . . 1,(>62 1 1 dredges and launches. 7,<>7<i 10 !t maintenance, and workAdvances made by the New ing-expenses .. .. 4,310 li li Zealand State-guaranteed Buildings, erection and Advances Office.. .. 40,000 0 0 maintenance of .. 236 2 0 Cattle, purchase of .. 3!>o 8 3 Drainage - works : Clearing channels, building stopbanks, tramways, and all expenses incidental thereto .. .. 25.331 9 8 ('ompensation for lands acquired .. .. 377 7 l> Interest and sinking fund on loans.. .. .. 834 8 6 Balance —Cash in Public Account .. .. .. 22,044 11 3 Advances in bands of officers of the Government .. 620 17 1 £54,769 2 4 £54,769 2 4 Loan Account. 1911. £ B. d. HIIO. £ s. d. Mar. 31. To Balance .. .. .. 83,131 I ~> April I. By Balance due to Loans to Loans Bodies" Account .. 32.108 1(1 II 1911. Mar. 31. Year's interest on above to 31st March, 1911, at 4 per cent, per annum.. .. 1,284 7 2 Advances made by the NewZealand State-guaranteed Advances Office— No. 1 Loan—Balance .. 4,920 12 (i No. 2 ~ „ .. 4,920 12 ti No. 3 „ „ .. 4,965 4 6 No. 4 „ .. . . 9,931 0 0 No. 5 .. . . . . 25,000 0 0 £83,131 1 5 £83,131 1 5 = REPORT UPON HAURAKI PLAINS DRAINAGE OPERATIONS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1911, by THE LAND DRAINAGE ENGINEER. Sir,— Thames, 24th April, 1911. In accordance with the provisions of the Hauraki Plains Act, 1908, I have the honour to report upon the various operations carried out during the past year. A great deal of work has been done by the different branches in connection with gradually completing and drawing the various systems of drainage together, and in improving and maintaining same. All the most promising areas have had suitable drainage-schemes devised to adequately cope with the local conditions, and fresh development-works are well forward. This past year has seen a great improvement and change in the condition of the land now disposed of, and lam quite satisfied that the future will see a most thriving settlement. During the year some 21,521 acres of rural lands, subdivided into small farms, was disposed of by ballot, and all selected, the number of applications constituting a record. From a tally kept by the guides it would appear that some 680 land-seekers inspected these lands. Naturally it takes time to bring raw swamp country into conditions to warrant its being opened for selection, as the drainage thereof is tedious. In each particular class of work dealt with hereafter the totals are given showing the position at 31st March, 1911. The details of all classes of work executed during the year are shown separately under heading " Works performed." This is convenient and at the same time necessary, as you thus see the existing stage of completeness the works have reached. Priestman Dredgers. Both dredger No. 1 and dredger No. 2 are in active commission, and are doing excellent workunder the improved conditions, and have excavated 50,179 cubic yards and 60,174 cubic yards respectively during the past twelve months. In accordance with authority given, automatic steel " chutes " were erected on each dredger, and have been in use for six months and ten months respectively, with results up to our most sanguine expectations. The spoil dredged up is dumped into a hopper at head of each chute, and is then automatically discharged at a distance of 47 ft. from centre of dredge, on either side. No gear is required to operate the chutes, the discharge of spoil being done by inclination of chutes aided by roll of dredge.