C—B

6

Length. Excavation, Miles, ch. Cub. yd. Drains cleaned by manual labour .. .. .. .. .. .. 97 0 Drains widened and deepened by manual labour .. .. .. .. 29 51 51,546 Drains (new construction) by manual labour .. .. .. 21 67 57,736 Stop-bank repairs by manual labour .. . . .. .. ..05 800 Total quantity of drainage excavation by manual labour .. .. .. 110,082 New canals constructed by machines .. .. .. .. . . 532 233,311 River and canal improvement, machine construction .. .. .. 935 362,254 Total quantity excavated by machines .. .. .. .. .. 595,565 Stop-banks constructed or partially constructed in conjunction with riverimprovements and canal-construction .. .. .. .. 7 10 Miles, cb. Cub. yd. Roads metalled .. .. .. .. .. .. ..272 4,388 Roads metalled, base course only .. .. .. .. .. 8 12 9,637 Roads resurfaced with metal .. .. .. .. .. ..2 8 1,146 Total quantity of road metal laid .. .. .. .. .. .. 15,171 Roads reconstructed and improved .. .. .. . . 870 Roads graded .. .. .. .. . . .. . . 050 Clay carted for ballasting peat roads and haunching metal .. .. .. .. 8,828 Fences erected .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 274 Levels taken for road and drainage work .. .. .. .. . . 62 00 Traverses taken for road and drainage work .. . . . . 15 40 Acres. Area cleared of scrub .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 63 Area planted in flax .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 319 No. Road-bridges constructed .. . . .. .. .. . . . . 3 Road-culverts constructed .. . . .. .. .. .. . . 4 Flood-gates constructed, single-barrel 4-ft.-diameter pipe .. . . . . .. 3 Flood-gates constructed, reinforced concrete 3-4 ft. by 4 ft. barrels . . . . . . 1 Cross-sections of roads, river-channel, and canals .. .. .. . . . . 377 Flax Leases. The area leased for flax-growing purposes is 3,173 acres in nine holdings. The annual rental totals £439 Bs. 6d., and rentals totalling £488 19s. 6d. were paid during the year. Grazing-areas. The area leased for grazing purposes under temporary tenancies is 9,143 acres, held by 49 settlers, on which the annual rental totals £601 7s. Rental actually collected totalled £552 14s. 3d. Future Proposals. The principal future constructional activities will be confined to the completion of the works now in hand, viz : — (1) Piako River improvements and flood-prevention. (2) Road construction and metalling. (3) Completion of Elstow-Awaiti flood-protection scheme. (4) Continuation Waitakaruru-Maukoro and Pouarua Canals. (5) Development of peat area lying to the west of Pouarua Canal. Works Expenditure. The total expenditure recorded was £48,673 10s. 10d., of which day-labour absorbed £17,104 lis. 10d., and 119 piecework and co-operative contracts accounted for £5,437 3s. lid. The drainage rate struck for 1929-30 totalled £3,977 2s. 2d., entailing the issuing of 434 rate notices. The sum of £12,163 lis. 3d. was collected during the period under review, of which £4,672 2s. 2d. was in respect of drainage rates. General. The field and office staff has experienced a busy year, as the special work undertaken for the relief of unemployment caused a great deal of extra work, and I desire to place on record my appreciation of the manner in which all concerned carried out their respective duties. I have, &c, R. G. Macmorran, Chief Drainage Engineer. The Under-Secretary for Lands, Wellington.