The Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18. 1908. THE PIAKO SWAMP.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 379, 18 February 1908, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18. 1908. THE PIAKO SWAMP.

Referring to the Piako Swamp, in a speech at the Thames last week, Sir Joseph Ward said there was evidence that what at one time was believed to be almost waste territory would be capable in a comparatively short time of taking settlers and enabling them to establish good homes' and earn good livings on it. The expenditure to date on the drainage of the plains was between and and it would only be a short time before the land would be as good for producing purposes as any other in the country. Since the work of draining the Piako Plains was commenced in October last,a great amount of improvement has been effected, and that day of which Sir George Grey dreamed—the day when this large area should teem with smiling homes and fields of waving grain, is approaching. Much has been done iu the direction of clearing the Piako and Awaiti rivers of logs and other obstructions. Mr W, C. Breakell, engineer iu charge of the works, has now about fourteen miles of surface drains made, rang, ing in width up to 10ft. and in depth to 3ft. and 4ft. One effect of these drains has already been to make available considerable areas of flax, which, formerly standing in stagnant water, was stunted, but is now to be seen flourishing in various stages of growth, forming as it stands even now a valuable asset under favourable conditions, and providing that proper progress continues to be made with the drainage of the plains, Mr Breakell considers it quite likely that there will be sufficient flax on the area to keep thirty or forty flax mills at work there in three years time. At the present time there are 130 men employed, in cutting the seventeen or eighteen surface drains being formed. In the course of two,months., it is ex-

pected that two specially-con-structed dredges will be on the spot. In connection with the part of the scheme that involves the dredging out and cutting of a canal from the junction of the two rivers at Maukoro inland to an outlet at Waitakaruru, miles away. This will be proceeded with shortly. According to Mr W. C. Breakell, it will be quite possible to have anything up to xo,ooo acres of the Piako plains drained and ready for settlement a year from dale at the present rate of progress, and provided that the Government continues its present policy of giving him every facility to carry the work out speedily and thoroughly, it should be finished in about four years’ time. There is an area of from 150,000 to 20,000 acres on the Piako plains which will be benefited by the drainage, and so made available for settlers. The Governmentowned aiea is 96,000 acres. The drained land is equal in quality to an area which Mr Breakell drained on the Wairoa River at Raupo, and which is now worth over £2O per acre. It will thus be seen how very valuable an asset to the country this swamp laud promise to become. The opinion is freely expressed at the Thames and in the Ohinemuri district that the area will be one of the most valuable the Government possesses.