GREAT SWAMP CHANGING.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1542, 11 September 1912, Page 2

GREAT SWAMP CHANGING.

OPERATIONS NEAR BAY OF PLENTY. : (By Telesrasn.—Sneolal Oorressondent.) -.' ' ' ' Auckland, September 10. A wonderful transformation is being effected at. Rangitaiki, in the Bay ot , Plenty district, by tho drainago operations .being-carried on thero by the Government, and a vast swamp is being rapidly converted into rich agricultural land. The drains are cut by dredges, and aro really great, canals. The Tarawera River enters tho sea near Matata, and tho Rangitaiki and the To Awaiti Rivers flow into the ; Tarawera a milo and a half up-river from Matata, and it is about there that the ; principal work is going. on. ': Some two miles up-stream from Matata the dredge has made a canal 28 feet.wide, and 3 feet deep, for a distance of a quarter of a 'mile; diverting the water of a huge mass of tho swainp into the Tara:wera 6trcam. .The dredge is now working on the second but, which is to be il chains long, thus saving many more bends in the river, and taking tho surface water from many- hundreds of acres of swamp land. There is yet another canal to be cut by this dredge, and afterwards a smaller dredge will operate and' deepen tho channel so-as to enable tho new nver to scour out to a sufficient depth to alleviate the pressure of the Tarawera River, and reduce the swamp water to a minimum. The. work done by this dre'dgo is wonderful. Flax bushes, niggerheads, raupo, and even cabbage trees are gathered up with the solid portion of .the swamp into the revolving truoks, and emptied on to an elevator, . which throws the debris clear of the channel on to the side of the canal, thine forming a high bank on either side of the 6tream. Each bucket takes about half a square yard, and: sweeps in-a semi-circle a distance of 28ft. at a dopth of 4ft. to 6ft., completing about two chains per day. . Tho Rangitikei _ River, as part of the scheme, is to bo given a now outlet to tho sea instead of overcharging the Tarawera 6tream as at present. This, in itself, is a huge work. ..The Rangitaiki River is free from snngs, and is negotiable by launches for about 25 miles at present. There is a fall of Bft. to the outlet at Matata ,in some nine miies. but, by this diversion there will, be Bft. Cin. fall to t.Ko sea in a dtstanco of only : 1} miles. There are numerous islands alon» this river, and several backwashes, conimonly called lagoons, whi'oh' abound with wild duck and swans. Many of these lagoons or lakes cover, an area of ten to 12 acres. A large dredge is at w.ork here. This dredge, which is the second largest of its kind in the Dominion, has been put together at a'plaoiß which" Is to bo called the City of..tlie' Swamp, and Is to cut a canal through the solid earth into tho sea' a - mile' and;., n:: quarter distant. The dredge is cutting o, canal through somo valuablo land,' where the late "Joe" Warbrick grew 22 tops of onions to the acre. This will probably tend to frhow the valuo of the 99,000. acres of swamp land to bo drained by the cuttinsr ond tho opening of this new canal or 'river outlet. Maizo has been srrown Isft. high on this land, and. has*, yielded 20 tons to the acre.