RANGITAIKI PLAINS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 400, 8 December 1932, Page 6

RANGITAIKI PLAINS

drainage scheme MARKED INCREASH IN PRODUCTION OF AREA ENGINEER'S ANNUAL iREPORT Wellington, Wednesday. In his annual repo-rt upon the Rangitaiki Plains Land Drainage Scheme, tabled to-day in the House of Representatives, the chief drainage engineer, Mr. R. G. Macmo:rran, states> inter >alia: — "The year unuer review witnessed the cessation of capital expenditure on this area. For some years it has been our policy to complete the original programme of works and the many extensions made desirabla by the rapid development of the area. In many cases the eompletion of construction has had to await the necessarily slow process of consolidating land stabilizing the country.

Maintenance. As stated previously, work carried out during the year consisted entirely of maintenance. Following the eompletion by scages of the programme of construction, the main canals have naturally required very little attention for a period of years, and it has been possible to work well within the estimated total expenditure requirements, which were based on the average for a period of ■ years. It must be remembered, however, that work on these canals, in- ! volving the use of heavy maehinery, cannot be indefinitely postponed. Deterioration beyond a certain safe point would involve the destruction of j the hardly won development of large | areas of fertile land. For this reason j the position of each canal requires j careful study to see that work is not done ahead of actual requirements land yet is not left until the dangerpoint is reached. In this connection there has been a tendency, particularly during the past dry seasons, to 1 consider that cei*tain areas of most- j ly lighter and higher lands' have been | overdrained. In some cases there ap- | pears justification for this claim, but it has to be remembered ' th'at these areas were not always as free draining as they are to-day, being in most cases retentive morass requiring deep drainage before water-movement could be installed. In these isolated cases the policy of the department is to defer machine maintenance of the outlets until they have shallowed to the present normal drainage-level of the country. "Recent years have seen the extension of cultivation and development to increased areas. In many cases lower-lying lands have been developed, as such lands have been slower in responding to drainage owing to their position. These areas are proving increasingly valuable when worked in conjunction with the higher lands which almost invariably adjoin them. The development of these areas, in common with the remaining swamp areas on the plains, has been greatly facilitated by the excellent season experienced. The weather during the past few seasons has been all in favour of this class of land. It is safe to assume that land with the porous subsoil this swamp enjoys will not now be seriously affected by a series of wet seasons, provided full drainage facilities are maintained. "No flooding was experienced during the year from the several rivers and streams running through the area. The work being carried out last year at the mouth of the .Rangitaiki River was' completed, and the river led back to a straight channel. Increasing Production "The Rangitaiki Plains continues to demonstrate its unique suitability for intensive dairy farming, which is reflected in the very creditable increase in the output of butter from the Rangitaiki Plains Dairy Co. The amount of butter manufactured by this company totalled 2,285 tons, an increase of 300 tons on the previous year. The Tarawera Cheese Factory went out of business before the commencement of the season, but a proprietary concern which draws consiu erable supplies from the plains commenced operations during the year, and alth'ough definite figures are not available, its quota would bring the total butter manufactured to over 3,000 tons. "Although' this increased output demonstrates that the area is making rapid strides in development as is only to be expected with a new district, there are still considerable areas of good and medium quality lands on which' production has not yet reached the average. Present indications point to the time being not far distant when. without further capital expenditure by the department, the total manufacture of butter will reach 5000 tons, giving a return based on. present prices of £560,000 from dairy produce alone. • jj'evelopment work on the flax areas within the area, aggregating approximately 7,500 acres, has not proceeded vigorously during the year, although present cultivations have been fully maintain'ad. A new flax mill was erected near the mouth of the Tarawera River, and milling will no uoubt be eommenced when payable market prices for hemp are obtainable.