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possible flood-water impounding-areas were also contoured, situated respectively at Taieri Lake, Waipiata, and Matarae-Middleinarch. All plans of dam-sites, sections, &,c, have been completed. The expenditure during the year amounted to £339 7s. Bd. Lees Valley Drainage Scheme. —Engineering surveys were continued as follows: Traverse and levelling, 35 chains; traverse and levelling main drains, 1 mile 8 chains. Duck Creek has now been levelled and traversed for six miles. All the plan work with the exception of three drainlines is completed. Owing to the impossibility of obtaining labour in this locality developmentwork was not put in hand. The expenditure for the year was £66 14s. 7d. The following large schemes were carried out by this branch, and, of course, comprise the major proportion of the works: (1) Hauraki Plains drainage-works; (2) Rangitaiki drainageworks. These works are treated in separate reports to comply with the separate Acts governingeach. A separate report on the following drainage-works is also forwarded in accordance with the provisions of the Swamp Drainage Act, 1915: (1) Waihi drainage area; (2) Poukawa drainage area; (3) Kaitaia drainage area. The particulars hereunder show the principal works carried out in various localities during the past year. There are, however, many works of a minor -nature that it is impossible to summarize :— M. eh. Double drain and road formation ... ... ... ... 0 18$ New drain and road formation ... ... ... ... ... 1 5 Deepening and widening road-drains ... ... ... ... 3 24 Clearing and grubbing roads ... ... ... ... ... 1 34 Cleaning road-drains ... ... ... ... ... ... 79 16 Outlets ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 9 65 Deepening and widening outlets... ... ... ... ... 62 66 Cleaning outlets ... ... ... ... ... ... 68 63 Clearing willows and snagging ... ... ... ... ... 10 0 Forming roads ... ... ... ... ... ... 12 18 Shelling roads ... ... ... ... ... ... 0 52 Sanding roads ... ... ... ... ... 0 40 Widening roads ... ... ... ... .. ..: 1 40 Metalling roads ... ... ... ... ... ... 4 33 Disking roads ... ... ... ... ... ... 4 0 Fencing ... ... ... ... ... ... 4 47 Spoil dredged ... ... ... ... 544,138 cubic yards. Excavation, by wheel scoops ... ... ... 58,000 ~ Artesian wells sunk ... ... ... ... 13 (number). Flood-gates built ... ... ... ... 2 ~ Wharves ... ... ... ... ... 2 ~ Bridges built ... ... ... ... ... 1 ~ Tram-sleepers laid ... ... ... ... 1,900 ~ Fascines laid ... ... ... ... 1,800 ~ (!ravel for roads ... ... ... ... 9,549 cubic yards. Offi,ce. —The total expenditure certified for payment during the year was £54,277 13s. lid., vouchers for this amount being prepared in Thames office. Of the above amount, direct Treasury payments amounted to £17,452 ss. 9d., payments through Thames and Whakatane Imprest Accounts £36,493 lis. 5d., and payments through Post Office £331 1.65. 9d. Some 113 piecework contracts were in operation. Inward correspondence amounted to 1,840, and outward 2,160, and some 1,320 vouchers were prepared and passed through the books. A considerable number of engineering, road, and other plans were made and tracings for photo-litho purposes prepared. The expenditure quoted represents the amounts actually expended in the various works, but will not necessarily agree with the figures shown in the tables as submitted to Parliament, as portion of the expenditure would not be brought to charge at the end of year.