C.—4

Waihi Drainage Area (20,000 Acres), Tauranga County The work carried out has been restricted by shortage of labour and plant. A total of 38 miles 73 chains of drains have been cleaned. Unfortunately, it has not been possible to return to this district the light excavator which was requisitioned for urgent defence work in May, 1942. It is becoming increasingly evident that serious flooding may occur unless silt is removed from th? streams and canals and unless stop-banks, which have subsided with the land on which they are built, are raised. The minimum essential programme for channel maintenance and drain and stop-bank improvement will occupy a light drag-line excavator for a period of several years. An area of 930 acres is served by a high-pressure-pumped water-supply, which has been effectively operated and maintained. Expenditure and Rates.—Expenditure on maintenance for the year amounted to £1,294. Rates struck: Special, £761; general, £1,097. Rates collected, including arrears: Special, £1,016; general, £1,205. Poukawa Drainage Area (15,567 Acres), Hawke's Bay Maintenance work at a net cost of £420 was carried out during the year, and I am again indebted to the Commissioner of Crown Lands, Napier, for the preparation and inspection of drain-cleaning contracts and payments made to contractors. Rates struck: Special, £1,045; general, £325. Rates collected, including arrears: Special, £536; general, £167. No progress has been made regarding Native rates in this area. I have, &c., R. L. Innis, Chief Drainage Engineer. The Under-Secretary for Lands, "Wellington. STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS A statement of accounts is published in parliamentary paper 8.-l [Pt. IV],

Approximate Cost of Paper.—Preparation, not given ; printing (513 copies), £3 ss.

Authority: E. V. Paul, Government Printer, Wellington.—l94s.

Price 3d.]

2