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7'67d. per cubic yard, which must be considered satisfactory, seeing the dredge was under repair a considerable portion of the time owing to faulty parts which were discovered through stress of heavy dredging. The cost of getting coal to the work has materially increased, as freights are most difficult to negotiate. While the dredge was laid up the men were engaged in stop-banking work. Expenditure for the Year. —The total expenditure for the year was £1,854 7s. lid.; of this amount £1,022 17s. Id. was paid out of Whakatane Imprest Account. Day labour amounted to £817 4s. 7d., piecework contracts to £205 12s. 6d. General. —The local officer in charge is Mr. J. H. Treseder, Land Drainage Engineer. The wages-sheets are prepared in the Thornton Office, but final action is taken in the Auckland Office, where the accounts are also prepared for payment. Now that staff officers are returning and more labour is available it is intended to man the works as fully as possible and push on development, hitherto not practicable. I have, (fee, J. B. Thompson, The Under-Secretary for Lands, Wellington. Chief Drainage Engineer.

Statement of Transactions during the Year ended 31st March, 1919. Receipts. £ s. d. Payments. Balance brought forward at Ist April, 1918 5.388 011 Kaitaia Drainage District — £ s. d. £ s. d. Debentures issued under Swamp Land Drainage - works, stopDrainage Act .. .. .. 25,000 0 0 banks, clearing channels, and other expenditure incidental to drainage operations, including wages and supplies ~ 14,333 7 3 Management and engineering expenses .. .. 296 16 11 14,630 4 2 Waihi Drainage District — Drainage - works, stopbanks, clearing channels, and other expenditure incidental to drainage operations, mc I v ding • wages and supplies . . 6,607 11 4 Management and engineering expenses .. .. 73 0 7 6,680 11 II Poukawa Drainage District— Drainage - works, stopbanks, clearing channel.-', and other expenditure incidental to drainage operations, including wages and supplies .. 05 19 0 Management and engineering expenses .. .. 5 II) 0 101 9 0 Machinery, plant, &c. .. .. 2,712 8 6 Cash in hand at 31st Marcli, 101!) .. .. . . . . 0,263 13 4 £30,388 6 11 | £30,388 6 II Balance-sheet. Liabilities. £ s. d. Assets. Debentures issued under the Act .. 40.000 0 0 Kaitaia Drainage District— £ s. el. £ s. d. Consolidated Fund—lnterest paid .. 1,493 (i 5 j Drainage-works Account 23,500 19 !) Public Works Fund—Land Improvement Interest Account (provote .. .. .. .. 4,563 10 7 portion chargeable to district) .. .. 945 3 8 24,452 3 5 , Waihi Drainage District — Drainage-works Account 11,711 0 (i Interest Account (proportion chargeable to district) .. .. 397 12 6 12,108 13 0 Poukawa Drainage District — Drainage-works Account 1,527 18 2 Interest Account (proportion chargeable to district) .. .. 150 10 3 1,678 8 5 Machinery, plant, stores, &o. .. 7,554 7 lo Cash in hand .. .. .. 0,263 13 4 £52,057 6 0 £52,057 6 0 J. H. O'.Donnell, Chief Accountant.

Approximate Cost of Paper.— Preparation, not given ; printing (850 copies), £1.

Authority : Marcus F. Marks, Government Printer, Wellington. —1919.

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