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Proposed Works. Completion Tarawera Western and Awaiti Road drains by Bay City dredge ; completion Omeheu outfall; redredging Section 110 outfall, Seccombe's drain, and old Rangitaiki to flood-gate ; completion Orini River dredging to Eastern drain; dredging Te Rahu-White-pine Bush outfall; completion Awakaponga outlet to railway ; stop-banking Tarawera River to railway ; redredging Kopeopeo outfall; and general development and maintenance work. Works Expenditure. The total amount expended during the year on plant, tools, supplies, wages, &c, was £4-7,538. Day labour, including wages of dredge crews, amounted to £21,637, piecework contracts to £7,260, and hire of teams to £1,524. General. The local office at Thornton was busily engaged during the year. All vouchers for payment of wages, contract, and team hire are prepared at this office, and payment effected through the Imprest Account at Whakatane. All vouchers for payment of supplies, &c, are finally passed through the controlling office in Auckland, where the books recording the total expenditure are kept. The local officer in charge is Mr. J. H. Treseder, Land Drainage Engineer. 1 have, &c, 0. N. Campbell, The Under-Secretary for Lands, Wellington. Chief Drainage Engineer.

RANGITAIKI LAND DRAINAGE ACCOUNT. Receipts and Payments Account for Year ended 31st March, 1923. Receipts. £ s. d. Payments. £ s. d. Cash in Public Account, Ist April, 1922.. 2,369 11 1 Drainage - works, stop - banks, clearing Debentures issued under- liangitaiki Land channels, and other expenditure mci Drainage Amendment Act, 1913, and dental to drainage operations .. 33,707 4 7 Finance Act, 1921-22 .. .. 60,900 0 n Management expenses .. .. 1,590 13 11 " Thirds " and " fourths " .. .. 7 7 6 Travelling-expenses .. .. .. 65 7 1 Rents .. .. .. .. 11l 3 0 Legal expenses .. .. .. 121 2 3 Rates — £ s. d. Plant and machinery .. .. 467 7 8 1917-18 .. .. 33 10 9 Loose tools .. .. .. .. 73 1 10 1918-19 .. .. 88 19 10 Material and stores .. .. .. 5,684 14 1 1919-20 .. .. 105 1 11 Fuel .. .. .. .. 5,204 18 7 1920-21 .. .. 1,041 7 11 Rates refunded .. .. .. 72 7 2 1921-22 .. .. 3,094 5 4 Interest on debentures .. .. 15,943 15 3 1922-23 .. .. 138 15 8 Charges and expenses of raising loans .. 8 0 0 4,502 1 5 Cash in Public Account, 31st March, 1923 4,89110 7 £67,890 3 0 £67,890 3 0 Revenue Account for Year ended 31st March, 1923. Dr. £ s. d. Gr. £ B. d. To Interest on debentures .. .. 16,744 4 9 By Proportion of rates .. .. 15,854 8 1 Charges and expenses of raising loans 8 0 0 Lents .. .. .. .. 117 7 0 Head Office administration expenses.. 50 0 0 "Thirds" .. .. .. 7 7 6 Rates written oil .. .. .. 95 19 9 Interest on investments .. .. 40 13 6 Balance transferrer! to Drainage-works Account .. .. .. 878 8 5 £16,898 4 6 £16,898 4 6 Balance-sheet as at 31st March, 1923. Liabilities. £ s. d. Assets. £ s. d. Loan Accounl .. .. .. 420,900 o o Drainage-works—Expenditure in conLoan Redemption Account .. .. 16,441. 12 3 neotion therewith, including wages, Unpaid purchase-money—Sundry Natives 4in ;> 1 supplies, administration and engineerSuspense Account .. .. .. 88 8 11 Lng expenses, and depreciation of plant 368,533 11 0 Sundry creditors .. .. .. 3,966 5 0 Plarrt and machinery .. .. 32,767 15 10 Interest on debentures unpaid .. 4,081 410 Loose tools.. .. .. .. 684 13 0 Live-stock .. .. .. .. 156 16 0 Buildings .. .. .'. .. 1,501 5 6 Material and stores .. .. .. 994 17 5 Fuel .. . . .. .. 357 12 0 Investments —Public Trust Ollice . . 904 5 4 Land for Settlements Account .. 20 0 0 Sundry debtors, for rates .. .. 35,027 811 Sundry debtors, for rents .. . . 6 4 0 Sundry debtors, miscellaneous .. 21 14 0 Cash in tho Public Account, 31st March, 1923 .. .. .. .. 4,891 10 7 £445,867 14 1 £445,867 14 1 J. B. Thompson, Under-Secretary. J. H. O'Domnrll, Chief Accountant.

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