C.T—B

1939. NEW ZEALAND.

DEPARTMENT OF LANDS AND SURVEY. DRAINAGE OPERATIONS IN HAURAKI PLAINS. REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1939, TOGETHER WITH STATEMENTS OF ACCOUNTS.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly pursuant to Section 20 of the Hauraki Plains Act, 1926.

Department of Lands and Survey, Wellington, Ist July, 1939. Sir, — I have the honour to present herewith the report of the Chief Drainage Engineer on operations carried out during the past year on the Hauraki Plains in accordance with the provisions of the Hauraki Plains Act, 1926. I have, &c., R. G. Macmorran, Under-Secretary for Lands. The Hon. Frank Langstone, Minister of Lands.

REPORT OF THE CHIEF DRAINAGE ENGINEER. Sir, — I have the honour to submit the thirty-first annual report on the land drainage and development works carried out on the Hauraki Plains during the year ended 31st March, 1939. The district has been adversely affected by the excessive rainfall in 1938, and farm production is generally below that of last year. Particulars of the quantity and value of the principal products of the district compiled from returns supplied by the courtesy of the trading concerns who handle a large portion of the produce of the district are given below. The returns received are by no means a complete record of the annual production from the district, but the information available will serve to give some indication of the high productive capacity created by the reclamation of waste swamp land. The figures in parentheses are the returns for the previous year : — Tons. Val ™- Butter 2,962 (3,373) 409,922 Cheese 3,079 (3,024) 244,024 Number. Pigs . .. .. • ■ • • 18,470 (23,372) 39,4-20 Calves .. .. 20,782 (15,509) 7,200 Cattle 14,096 ( 9,129)") Sheep 3,528 ( .. )Y 66,300 Horses .. . . .. • ■ • • 104 ( .. ) J £766,866 Cargo despatched and received over the Piako River wharves, 4,472 tons.

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