HAURAKI PLAINS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2203, 16 July 1914, Page 8

HAURAKI PLAINS

SUCCESS OF DRAINAGE SCHEME. _ The report on the drainage operations ■in the Hauraki Plains district for the year ended March 31 last was presented to the House of Representatives yesterday by the Minister of Lands. JDm-ing tho year 2178 acres were subdivided into runl farms and reserves, the valuation of this area being £18,240 making a total of 32,525 acres, valued at-£178,250, now settled and revenue-, producing. A further area of 2172 acres, valued at £15,070; in the vicinity of Waitakaruru and Ngarua, will bo available for selection next month. This shows a reclaimed swamp area of 34,697 acres, of a capital value of £193,320. Iho report states that a further area of about 2000 acres at Ngarua and Mangawhero, should be far enough ' advanced for selection before the end of the present financial year Tho total expenditure under the Act to date is £159,241. The number of sottlcrs on the area at the end of March was 227. During the year the sum of £2073 wa.i expended on tho Piako River, practically all on-dredging. The 'total length of stop-banks constructed to the end of the year was 27 miles 50 chains. The total length of cart roads was 54 miles, whilst the total length of drains in operation was now 302 miles, an increase of 26 miles during the .year. Twenty-three artesian bores were 'sunk during tho year by the Department's plant, bringing the total up to 82. The total cost of. the bores sunk-to dato is £1708,_ of which £474 has been- repaid. Referring to the report in tho House, the Prime Minister said that he thought ho would have to ask for authority to borrow ,moro money for the work. The cash in hand in the fund was only £4045. ' • • Mr. Russell: What about- commitments ? ■ ' - Mr. Massey said that probably the commitments were more than the cash in,hand.. -