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6

Valuations. The total area to date thrown open for selection is 40,391 acres, valued at £281,950-. The land to be opened in the near future will show an increase on these figures. Area thrown open during Year. Some twenty-nine sections, comprising a total area of 2,940 acres, and valued at £52,290, were thrown open and selected by discharged soldiers. It is expected that some seventy-one sections, totalling 5,300 acres, will be available from time to time during the coming financial year. In addition some twenty-nine sections, totalling 25 acres, will be auctioned in Kerepeehi Township Extension. Development is being steadily carried on, and it should be noted that the class of country being dealt with is very difficult. Subsidence takes place, and outfalls have to be deepened accordingly. Principal Works Proposed. The principal works (apart from road-metalling) to be carried out in the future are as follows : — (1.) Continuation of Waitoa River dredging. (2.) Continuation of Waitakaruru—Maukoro Canal. (3.) Continuation of Awaiti Canal. (4.) Establishment of works depot, Ongarehu Block, Kerepeehi. (5.) New areas for settlement. ((i.) Concrete bridges, flood-gates, and culverts. (7.) New wharves and repairs to existing ones. (8.) General development work. General. The books in connection with the works are kept in Auckland, where vouchers for wages, contracts, supplies, and general purposes are prepared. The officer in local charge is Mr. It. S. Logan. Land Drainage Engineer, and I have again to commend him on having so capably carried out the supervision of operations and development work. I have, ifec, .1. IS. Thompson, Chief Drainage Engineer. The Under-Secretary for Lands, Wellington.

Schedule of Artesian Bores sunk during Year, 1919-20.

Artesian Bore Scction |il(H . k No. I Survey District. 'total Depth. Running Flow. (Feet.) (Gallons per Hour.) i 143 Government Reserve Waitaka: 144 II IV 145 19 X 146 7 X 147 6 X 148 5 X 149 17 IV .150 17 IV 151 Near Kerepeehi Wharf 152 153 154 19 X 155 lit X 156* 17 X 157 33 I 158 4 X 159 I X 160 2 X 161 14 I 162 14 I 163 5 1 164 2 I 165 33 I i I .rum | Piako I Thames . . Wharekawa. >> tt Piako J! Thames . . Wharekawa Waihou .. J? ■ • 322 200 304 90 286 400 298 900 .. J 306 200 367 60 393 10 187 900 177 900 247 300 396 Flow by pumping. .. j 335 600 92 100, by pumping. 303 l',000 306 No flow. 300 1,200 250 600 266 130 231 400 332 No flow. 231 200 214 600 214 200 * Road corner,