C.—B

Summary. The total length of subsidiary drains constructed in connection with the Hauraki Plains Drainage Scheme to date is 754 miles 75 chains. The principal works carried out during the year are shown in the following tabular statement: — Length. Excavation. Miles ch. Gub. yd. Drains cleaned by manual labour .. . . ■ • ■ ■ 106 1 • ■ Drains widened and deepened by manual labour .. .. 18 20 Drains (new construction) by manual labour .. .. •• 557 91 7cc Stopbanks raised by manual labour .. .. •• •• 312 21,766 Total excavation by manual labour .. .. •• 87,408 Streams and canals cleaned by manual labour .. .. • • 410 ■ ■ Canals deepened with dredges .. . ■ • • • • 90 Metal Roads reconstructed and metalled .. •• •• 260 2,590 Roads formed .. • • • • • • • ■ • • " Ballast. Clay and shingle ballast delivered on peat road by light railway .. 110 11,799 3-ft. -gauge tramway laid .. • • • • • • • • 060 Number Fascines used for road construction .. •• •• •• •• 5,910 Acres. Area sown in grass .. . • • • • • • • • • • • ft Area ploughed and cultivated .. • • • • • • • • • • ' * Area cleared of scrub and rushes .. ■ • ■ ■ • • • • • ■ J Number. Road bridge (30 ft. span) .. .. • • • • • • • ■ • • 1 Farm-access bridges . . ■. • • ■ ■ '' " o Reinforced-concrete culverts having two 5 ft. by 4 ft. barrels with sluice-gates Flax Leases. Some four areas, totalling 3,964 acres, are leased for flax-growing purposes at an annual rental of £252, and £73 was collected during the period under review. Grazing-area. Some 8,252 acres in seventy holdings were leased under temporary tenancies at an annual rental of £499, and rent collected totalled £450. Works Expenditure. Expenditure totalled £18,963 9s. 7d. Drainage rates struck amounted to £1,572 os. lid., and £1,341 10s. 9d. was collected. I have, &c., R. G. Macmorran, Chief Drainage Engineer. The Under-Secretary for Lands, Wellington.

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