I).—1

Thirteen miles of fencing have been completed at the southern end of the block, and approximately 400 acres were cultivated and sown down in pasture last autumn, the soil tillage and sowing being under the control of the Lands Department. A flock of 1,000 breeding-ewes has already been drafted on to the block, and 100 head of cattle will follow shortly. An average number of 177 married men have been employed during the year, and all have been recruited from the unemployed of Napier and surrounding district. Details of progress are as under : — Work done Year , T > , , ended 30th June, Work done to Date. Miles. Ch. Miles. Ch. Stop-banks.. .. .. .. ■ ■ ■ • 1 8 11 0 Main drains . . .. . ■ . . . ■ 4 12 7 25 Subsidiary drains .. .. .. .. .. 5 1 13 69 Lateral drains — Excavated .. .. .. .. 128 65 207 46 Cleaned out .. .. .. ..24 57 79 41 Filled in .. .. .. .. ..18 77 18 77 North pumping-station . . . . .. .. Completed. South pumping-station . . . . . . .. Completed. Concrete pipe culverts — Lin. ft. Lin. ft. 12 in. diameter .. . . . . .. 36 117 18 in. diameter .. .. . . . . 407 651 24 in. diameter . . .. . . 90 90 30 in. diameter .. .. . . .. .. 140 42 in. diameter . . . . . . . . .. 48 Water drive, 4 ft. by 6 ft. .. . . .. .. 174 Bridges, concrete : 30 ft. to 40 ft. single spans .. . . Two completed. Concrete floodgates — North gate . . .. .. .. .. Completed. South gate .. .. .. .. .. Completed. Roading — Cub. yd. Cub. yd. Formation .. .. .. .. 45,630 58,590 Metalling .. .. .. .. ■■ 2,060 Implement shed, 24 ft. by 48 ft. .. .. .. Completed. Miles, eh. Miles, ch. Fencing, seven and eight wire . . .. 13 18 13 18 Acres. Acres. Swamp ploughing .. .. .. .. •• 1,000 1,000 #

HARBOUR WORKS. Mangonui Wharf. —A commencement was made with the erection of a reinforced concrete wharf 135 ft. long. All the piles have been cast and driving is in hand. Kerikeri Wharf. —A report was prepared on a wharf proposed to be erected by the Bay of Islands Harbour Board. Te Hapua Wharf. —A reinforced concrete wharf 104 ft. long was erected. Awanui River Dredging. —A report on a scheme of dredging to improve conditions at this port was prepared and the work is now in hand, a Sauerman dragline being used. Westfort Harbour.- The average of monthly mean depths on the bar at low-water ordinary spring tide was 16 ft. 3 in., a considerable improvement on 14 ft. 4 in. for the previous year, and 14 ft. for 1934-35. In April the mean depth on the bar was 14 ft. 3 in., and from then a gradual increase was maintained until October, when a mean depth of 17 ft. 4 in., the highest for the year, was reached. However, from this date a steady shoaling on the bar commenced. This continued until the end of the period, when the mean depth had fallen to 15 ft., though this average was a little better than at the commencement of the year. During the period under review the average working depth on the bar at high water was 22 ft. 8 in. This is a substantial increase on 20 ft. 10 in. for the preceding comparative period and 20 ft. for 1934-35. The average working depth in the river at high water was 24 ft. 6 in., as against 23 ft. 6 in. for 1935-36 and 24 ft. for 1934-35. This increase in depth followed the general trend of improved bar conditions for the first half of the year, but, whereas definite shoaling occurred on the bars, the improvement in the fairway was maintained. A factor of definite effect in this connection, however, was that 216,434 cubic yards of material were lifted during the year by the " Eileen Ward " from the lower river fairway —{i.e., from the crane wharf to the bar) —as against 97,277 for the preceding year, whilst the amount lifted during 1934-35 was 134,939 cubic yards. Dredging operations were confined to the suction dredge " Eileen Ward," the bucket dredge " Maui " and the suction dredge Rubi Seddon " still remaining out of commission. The Eileen Ward " worked on 158 days, and dredged a total of 535,105 cubic yards, of which 267,687 were taken from the bar, 216,434 from the lower river, 38,073 from the berthages, and 12,911 from the floating basin. This dredging was carried out at a cost of 4-83 d. per cubic yard, which is less than the unit cost per yard for the previous two years. The favourable cost of the dredging was accounted for by the fact that the dredger was not docked during the year, in which case there would have been increased costs and smaller output.

57