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APPENDIX F FOURTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SOIL CONSERVATION AND RIVERS CONTROL COUNCIL The Hon. Minister of Works. Sir, — In accordance with the requirements of section 33 of the Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Act, 1941, the Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Council has the honour to submit its fourth annual report for presentation to Parliament. The report covers the period Ist April, 1945, to 3ist March, 1946. General The Council met on nine occasions during the year and with the easing of the man-power situation investigational and constructional activities increased. Expenditure under the vote increased from £50,000 in the previous year to £212,000 for the period under review. Catchment Boards The ten operating Catchment Boards have continued to function on an increasing scale and many of the administration difficulties referred to in last year's report have been overcome, with a result that expansion of Boards' activities in the future can be looked to. A conference of delegates of Catchment Boards was held in Wellington and as a result certain amendments to the Act are under consideration. A further conference has been arranged to take place in the forth-coming year. Catchment Districts One additional catchment district, embracing an area of 1,500 square miles of the catchment area draining into the Hauraki Gulf, was constituted in February, and arrangements for the first election of the Board have been completed. In addition, preliminary discussions have taken place between the Council and interested local authorities in connection with proposals to form districts in the Bay of Plenty, Waikato, Marlborough, and Clutha catchments, and further, discussions will take place in the forthcoming year. The following is a complete list of catchment districts constituted to date :

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Rateable Capital Valuation. Name. Area (Approximate) (Square (Approximate) (£ Million). Population. (Approximate.) Headquarters of Board. Miles). Rural. 1 Urban. Total. Hauraki .. 1,500 13-9 3-4 17-3 45,000 Not fixed. Rangitikei 2,756 130 3-2 16-2 26,470 Marton. Manawatu 2,680 29-6 12-9 42-5 75,800 Palmerston North. Hawke's Bay 3,070 18-3 10-3 28-6 57,800 Napier. Wairarapa 2,230 13-8 4-0 17-8 26,250 Masterton. Poverty Bay 2,097 10-8 4-3 15-1 31,500 Gisborne. Nelson 2,460 5-1 4-4 9-5 30,570 Nelson. Westland 6,254 2-3 2-2 4-5 26,820 Greymouth. North Canterbury 4,290 21-6 35-1 56-7 162,750 Christchurch. South Canterbury 4,326 21-0 8-5 29-5 61,850 Timaru. Southland 11,000 17-4 9-9 27-3 71,850 Invercargill