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Waihi Swamp (Maketu) Drainage.—-A. field party has been in operation on this work since December last, getting the necessary levels, &c, so that, works could be proceeded with. Some 2 miles 43 chains of the Kaikokopu Stream was levelled up, 10 miles of swamp-edge defined, and check levels taken, and a magnetic survey made of the islands and channels in the Waihi Estuary. A Priestman dredger was ordered from England, and should arrive in the Dominion in May, Plans Were prepared for construction of pontoon for the dredger. This pontoon will be constructed on the ground, and will be completed by the time the dredger arrives. The expenditure during the year was £294 19s. Bd. Monovale Swamp, Cambridge.—The engineering survey of the Monovale Swamp was completed during the year, some 19 miles of levels being taken, and also soundings over 10,000 acres of swamp area. The expenditure was £i5O 4-s. Waitakaruru Loan Block. —This is for roading^Waitakaruru Loan Block, and also Waitakaruru Settlement (Land for Settlements Account). It was decided to give road access to all the sections before offering for selection. To date some 15 miles of road has been formed (9 miles of 14 ft. road and 6 miles of 12 ft. road), 6 miles 40 chains of drains formed, and 70 chains of stop-bank and drain. The Waitakaruru Loan Block comprises 9,382 acres, and Waitakaruru Settlement 2,350 acres, and the survey of this 11,732 acres was completed during the year. The whole area was offered for selection in February, and practically the whole of it was applied for. The expenditure during th< year out of Loan Block was £1,440 17s. Bd., and Waitakaruru Settlement (Land for Settlements Account) £274 ss. Ballachraggan Settlement (Land for Settlements Account). —Some 130 chains of drains were completed and eight bridges constructed in this settlement for the year, at a cost of £274 ss. Otway Settlement (Land for Settlements Account).- -In this block improvements to existing drains have been laid out, as well as to existing roads. In addition, over 2 miles of roads have been levelled and will be formed at once. East Taieri, Waipori River. —An engineering survey party commenced operations in March, and during period traversed 9 miles 66 chains on Waipori River and Meggott Burn Stream, and also roughly located on ground the line of a possible channel through Lake Waipori. The following large schemes were carried out by this branch, and of course comprise the major portion of the works : (1) Hauraki Plains drainage-works ; (2) Rangitaiki drainage-works. Those woi'ks are treated in separate reports, to comply with the respective Acts governing each. Engineering Surveys--Home 139 miles of engineering surveys have been made in connection with the various works. The schedule hereunder shows the principal works carried out during the past year, covering all our- operations. Of course, there are many works of minor importance that it is impossible to summarize :— Double drain and road formation .". .. .. .. 2 m. 50 eh. Deepening and widening drains.. .. . . .. .. 71 m- 28 eh. Drain and road formation . . . . . . . . . . I m. 4.6 eh. Road drains formed .. .. .. .. .. ..2m. 13 eh. Outlet drains formed .. .. .. .. .. 25 m. 75 eh. Clearing and cleaning drains .. .. .. .. .. 163 m. 68 oh. Drain and stop-bank formed .. . . . . 2m. 1.0 eh. Strengthening stop-bank .. .. . . . , . . 4m. 15 eh. Removing heavy timber from drains .. .. .. . . 7m. 52 eh. Snagging river- . . . . .. .. .. .. 2m. 30 eh. Weeding river .. .. .. .. .. ~ 4m. 40 eh. Disking roads .. .. .. .. .. . . 27 m. 0 eh. Forming roads .. .. .. .. ... 20 m. 24 eh. Clearing road-line .. .. .. .. .. 3 hi. 60 eh. Fences erected, .. .. .. .. .. 10 m. 64 eh. Bridges erected .. .. .. .. .. ... . ..22 Wharf erected .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 Flood-gates erected .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 2 Roads metalled .. .. .. .. .. 5 m. 40 eh. Canals cut .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 4m. 44 eh. Rivers widened and dredged .. .. .. •. .. 7m. 32 eh. Spoil lifted by dredgers ';-; .. .. .. .. 444,686. cub. yd. Timber groynes erected $pt .. .. .. .. 3,322 lin. ft. Wire-stone groynes erected .. .. .. .. .. 150 lin. ft. River-bank fascined .. .. .. .. .. ■. 85 eh. Artesian bores sunk .. .. ..... .. .. 22 Engineering surveys, levelling .. .. .. .. .. 1 39 m. Office. —The total expenditure certified to for payment during the year was £55,610 Is. Id. Of this amount direct Treasury payments amounted to £15,991. 9s. lid., payments through Thames and Whakatane Imprest Accounts £39,335 16s. Id., and payments through Post Office to £282 15s, Id. Some 1.90 piecework special contracts were in operation. Inward correspondence amounted, to 1,800 letters, and l,92ojoutwards. and some 1,630 voucher's were prepared and passed through the books. Afconsiderable number of engineering, road, survey, and other- plans were made, and tracings for photo-lithos and other.- purposes prepared. The expenditure quoted represents the amounts actually expended on the various works, but will not necessarily agree with the figures shown in the tables for the year as submitted, to Parliament,, as a portion of the expenditure was not brought to charge before the end of the year. 1 have to express my appreciation of the very efficient services rendered by my staff during the year.