C—B

Hereunder is a resume of the work done by each excavator during the year under review:— No. 15 Bucyrus Excavator.—This machine commenced at the beginning of April, 1948, the widening and deepening of one of the main outlets for Kerepeehi Block, and, starting from the two barrel flood-gate, had by the end of June completed to the main road a distance of 55 chains and excavated 8 800 ■cubic yards m 48 working-days. The plant was then moved to the Puhanga Canal, where it commenced removal of Poa aquatica and willows, and the improvement to the canal. By the end of March the west bank had been completed for a length of 127 chains and 32,260 cubic yards had been excavated For the full year 41,060 cubic yards of spoil have been handled by this machine m 216 working-days, at an average cost of 10£ d. per cubic yard. No. 16 Bucyrus Excavator was transferred from the Piako River left-bank stop-bank early in April to raising and improving the right-bank stop-bank for the Hauraki United Drainage Board. Very good progress has been made by removing 26,510 cubic yards of spoil in completing 153 chains of bank in 171 working-days, at an average cost of Is. 2d. per cubic yard. No 29 Bay City —.At the beginning of April, 1948, this machine was assisting with the construction of the intake drain to the new pump-station being •constructed for the Thames Valley Drainage Board at Awaiti South. This work was continued during April, and was somewhat delayed through the plant becoming badly bogged in a burnt-peat area. During May the machine assisted with excavation for and installation of the discharge pipes for the pump-station. In June it was brought to the workshop at Kerepeehi for complete overhaul which was completed at the end of July. The plant was then moved to Waitakaruru and commenced the widening and deepening of Rountree's Drain This work was finished on 20th August, when 1251 chains had been completed and 18,196 cubic yards of spoil removed. While the plant was in this vicinity the machine was used on the reconstruction of a private drain known as Willow Drain, and in improving 64 chains removed 4,987 cubic yards of spoil. The cost of this work was met by the settlers. The average cost of the excavation of 26,628 cubic yards by this machine for the year was Is. 4d. per cubic yard. No. 31 R.B. 17 Excavator.—This machine completed on 2nd April, 1948 the main southern stretch of stop-banks being reconstructed for the Hauraki United Drainage Board on the right bank of the Piako River; The plant Was then returned to Pipiroa, where, after annual overhaul, it completed the reconstruction of a short stretch of 4 chains of stop-bank near the eastern end of the Pipiroa Ferry before being transferred to the Kerepeehi district. Here the machine was used for the reconstruction of the Waikoura Drain, one of the large drains taking hill-water across the plains from the western ranges. This work was completed just before the end of March, when 240£ chains had been done and 36,932 cubic yards excavated. After annual overhaul work will commence on improving the Torehape Road Drain, another hill-water channel requiring widening and deepening. The average cost of excavation of 38,266 cubic yards by this machine for the year was B|d. per cubic yard. No. 35 P. and H. Excavator.—This machine continued with the cleaning and deepening of 77 chains of outlet drains in the Kerepeehi Development Block during April. After overhaul and the construction of a set of dredge pads at the workshops the plant was shipped by punt to commence work on the widening and deepening of Central Drain, a main waterway carrying hill-water from the western ranges. This work commenced in June, and by the end of March 174 chains had been completed and 20,681 cubic yards of spoil excavated at an average cost of Is. 4d. per cubic yard.

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