C—4

2

Immediately prior to the striking of the rates a departmental Committee, consisting of Messrs. Sutherland, Blackburn, and. Macmorran, was set up to investigate and report on the loading that the district, both county and town subdivisions, could carry. According to the Act, the loading on the county portion is £110,000, and on the town £15,000. The Committee heard evidence from all those who came forward, both in public and in private, after which various portions of the area were inspected. The recommendations of this Committee were duly forwarded and are now under consideration. Rainfall, &e. —Rainfall and river-gauge readings have been recorded daily at Kaitaia, and schedule and graphs are enclosed giving particulars of data obtained. Rainfall was well distributed throughout the year, and except on one occasion, in February, 1930, no intensive flooding occurred in the area. Following 4-15 in. of rainfall for the period of twenty-four hours ending 9 a.m. on 14th February, the Kaitaia River overflowed its banks above the township, and in consequence a large area of country was, inundated. Flood-levels, however, were several feet lower than previously recorded, and for the remainder of the year no flood of any consequence occurred. The following table gives details of rainfall for the past twelve years : —

Awanui River. —The only work done was the poisoning and removing of young willows. No dredging has been done in the lower Awanui. River since November, 1927, but sand has now accumulated to such an extent that difficulty is being experienced in navigating the channel. Arrangements have been made to dredge the channel again, and the work of scooping back spoil to provide a bench on the banks for dredged spoil has been commenced. As soon as this has been completed a Priestman dredge will commence removing sand from the river-bed. Whangatane Spillway. —Two drag-lines have been employed on the enlargement of this channel to 60 ft. bottom at the lower end and 50 ft. bottom from the point where a steeper grade has been adopted. A distance of 3 miles 54-09 chains has been covered by the two machines, with a total of 221,500 cubic yards of spoil removed. Dredger No. 27, Marion steam drag-line, was engaged in widening original channel from 20 ft. to 50 ft. bottom, part of the work being done from west bank and part from east bank. Two shifts were worked, and 126,920 cubic yards of spoil removed from 189-65 chains of channel. Some difficulty has been experienced in maintaining this machine in continuous operation, as a certain number of breakages are inevitable and cannot be expeditiously replaced owing to distance from a foundry or machine-shop capable of handling repair jobs of any size. Dredger No. 18, Monighan oil-driven drag-line, was engaged in widening the channel at lower end from 40 ft. to 60 ft. bottom, working one shift only. This machine lost very little time waiting repairs, and was more easily maintained in operation. Some 94,580 cubic yards of spoil was removed from 104-44 chains of the spillway, and 21 chains of small channel for the Oinu Stream. Approximately two months' work for both machines remains to complete excavation of this channel to Donald's Road, 10 chains from the intake. This portion of the channel, already excavated through sound clay country, is of sufficient width and depth to carry the full amount of water which can be discharged through the temporary regulating-weir erected at the intake. Bridges. —Seven pile bridges were erected over the Whangatane spillway, six of these, ranging in length from 95 ft. to 110 ft., were to connect severances of properties, and one, of 120 ft., to provide crossing at Quarry Road. In all cases existing bridges had to be removed and piles drawn so that permanent structures could bo erected on the .same site. Two temporary pile bridges, one of 90 ft. and one of 60 ft. length, were erected at road-crossings, with short deviation of roads to carry traffic during erection of road-bridge. Two sill bridges were erected over drains to connect properties severed. Bridging of the Whangatane spillway has been completed, with the exception of the bridge at Donald's Road, now under construction. School Cut. —Surveys have been made and plans drawn for this work, which includes 20 chains of excavation and erection of bridge at Church Road. It is anticipated that excavation will be commenced in July. Drains. —The principal work in connection with drains has been maintenance. Most of the cleaning was done in the autumn, and some drains were cleaned again in early spring. In order to maintain efficiency of drains it is desirable to adopt the practice of spring as well as autumn cleaning, and this practice should be applied to a considerable mileage of the outlets in operation. Heavy

Year. Y(«ir Wettest Month and Rainfall. Driest Month and Rainfall. Inches. I Inches. Inches. 1918-19 .. 47-30 Oct., 1918 .. .. 9-06 Aug., 1918 .. 1-39 1919-20 .. 31-71 July, 1919 .. .. 7-37 Dec.. 1919 .. 0-62 1920-21 t . 53-11 May and Aug., 1920 (each) .. 8-02 Mar., 1921 .. 1-13 1921-22 .. 49-42 Mar., 1922 .. .. 5-84 Jan., 1922 .. 2-24 1922-23 .. 44-81 Oct., 1922 .. .. 7-46 Jan, 1923 .. 2-02 1923-24 .. 49-23 Oct, 1923 .. .. 7-92 Dec, 1923 .. 1-38 1924-25 .. 48-89 May, 1924 .. .. 10-34 Mar, 1925 .. 0-51 1925-26 .. 57-90 May, 1925 .. .. 10-43 Feb, 1926 .. 0-88 1926-27 .. 64-91 Oct, 1926 .. .. 9-62 Dec, 1926 .. 1-51 1927-28 .. 55-97 July, 1927 .. .. 11-35 Jan, 1928 .. 0-22 1928-29 .. 58-21 June, 1928 .. .. 9-13 Feb, 1929 .. 0-28 1929-30 .. 51-11 May, 1929 .. .. 6-30 Mar, 1930 .. 0-98