0.—4

2

Crown Land. —Main outfalls have been constructed as far as possible along the road-lines. All road-banks are now thrown up out of drain spoil, and only a small foothill drain remains to be laid off to complete the entire block. This has brought in some 2,760 acres. W' aipapakauri. —During the year a start was made at Waipapakauri, and the main outfall started. This has been for nearly half its distance through fairly heavy timber, and progress has been comparatively slow. This drain has, however, brought in a large area and will lie one of our most useful drains, cutting off a large portion of the swamp hitherto unsuccessfully drained into the river and now discharging into the Waipapakauri Creek. An outfall was brought up from Waimanone Creek, and this also cuts off a considerable area previously drained into (lie Awanui River. All road-drain work has been completed to the north boundary of Section (i, and the remainder of the work —to the north boundary of Crown land —will be carried out within the next few mouths, thus completing the road stretch from Ahipara to Waipapakauri. Roads to Grown Land. —That road via wireless station will be taken in hand during the winter. Outfall for these roads is being brought up from lagoon in O.L.C. 19,3, through kahikatea swamp, and should be. completed during the winter. A drain has been opened up on the line of the spillway through the California Swamp, tapping the Oinu Stream. In consequence of this the outfall drain along the line of the spillway to Pairatahi Creek has had to be widened and cleaned. California Creek was snagged, and willows removed, and this will be widened and stop-banked during the winter. During the latter portion of the year the greater part of the drain and road work has been done by piecework contract, and, with a, few exceptions, has been done in a high-class manner and at a reasonable cost. Thi' total road drainage completed during the year is as follows : — Roads 1-, ... . . ~ . . Drams. (Double Drains). M. eh. M. eh. Ahipara and Pukepoto ... ... ... ... 0 \ 3B 10 30 Crown land ... ... ... ... ... 7 18i 18 1.8 Waipapakauri ... ... ... ... .... 1 4!) 8 11 California ... ... ... 1 32J 9 25 J 38 l\\ Dredging of River. —The I'lieslinan dredge was erected during the year, and started culling in September. Since then progress has been slow owing to high banks and large quantities of sand. Some 45 chains of river has been dredged, including one cutting of 3 chains. "Owing to the low water-level during summer it has been' necessary to dam the river. Yardage removed by dredge, 21,200 .cubic yards. Surveys. —During the year a large amount of new country has been dealt with. The subdivision of Crown land was begun during March of the previous year, and all main roads and outfalls ranged according to scheme of subdivision. Many new traverses were run, and bearings re-established from trigs. Levels of all roads have been taken and bench-marks established., New access roads from Waipapakauri to Crown land have been surveyed and levelled, and, old blocks in the vicinity of Waipapakauri and Waimanone redefined. Many of the old surveys are defective, and in many cases no trace of former surveys remain. Some 1,200 acres around the lake were levellefl, and roads located during the summer. Towards the end of the year traverses were run round the mangrove flats from Waipapakauri and Waimanone to Pairatahi. and Mangatete, for stop-banking against tides, and a traverse made of Awanui River from Awanui landing to mouth of river for navigation purposes. Works Expenditure for the Tear. —The total expenditure for the year was £29,522 3s. Id. including wages, . piecework contracts, supplies, hire of teams, and general expenses. Of this amount the sum of .£27,567 12s. I Id. was paid out of Kaitaia Imprest Account for wages, piecework contracts, &c. The principal payments were-day labour, £19,373 14s. Bd. ; piecework contracts, £4,035 17s. Id.; hire of teams, .£2,924 Is. Id. General.—Mr. R. J. Cornwell is in local charge of operations, and. has ably carried out his duties during the period under review. Vouchers, ivo., are prepared in the Auckland Office, where the books in connection with the works are kept. Watiii Drainage Area (22,720 acres). The work on this area has practically been confined to the dredging of the Wairere Stream, which is the main outlet through the Crown portion of the area. During the year the dredge removed 14.250 cubic yards of spoil, at a total coat of £1,713 lis. Id., averaging 9'29d. per cubic vaid. The surface digging was good, but after 2 ft. a layer of sand and shell was encountered,'which was extremely difficult to remove. During the latter end of the period the dredge was overhauled, and is now in good order. , Until the dredge has excavated another half mile of the Wairere Stream it will be impossible to do any hand labour This should be possible by next summer, and then the development of the area will be much more rapid. More plant for excavating large channels is urgently required on this area as one dredge cannot cope with the work. In addition to the dredging the followingwork was carried out: '70 chains clearing drains, and 05 chains removing timber from, the Kaikokopu Stream, above the main road. Expenditure for the Year.— The total expenditure for the year was £1,982 14s. 2d., day labour absorbing £890 13s. 4d. The wages-sheets are prepaTed in the Auckland Office, where the accounts are prepared for payment.