C—B

Thc^ infal } , the y ear ended 31st March, 1949, as recorded at Kerepeehi was 48-28 m., which is slightly above the average for this station, which, taken over the last thirty-six years from March, 1913, was 43-75 in. The wettest month was May, with 6-65 in., and the driest was December, with 2-17 in. The number W< ? ? ays was 182 > and a rainfall exceeding 1 in. in twenty-four hours was recorded on six occasions, the heaviest being on Ist April with 2-10 in. The following is a schedule completed from information supplied by dairy companies and merchants setting out the approximate quantity and value of farm production from the Hauraki Plains for the year 1947-48. For the purpose of comparison figures for the year 1946-47 are also given:—

Schedule

Difficulties are still being experienced in obtaining sufficient labour to man the works on the Hauraki Plains, and consequently very little new work has been possible during the year, nearly all available labour being concentrated on maintenance. The normal amount of drain-cleaning in the Hauraki Plains Rating District has been carried out during the year, and a start has been made with the long-delayed widening and deepening of the main outlets carrying hill-water across the peat areas to the Piako River and the Maukoro Canal. This work has been made possible by the fact that the stop-banking programme on the foreshore and the Piako River is nearing completion, and it has been possible to transfer excavators to other urgent work. Six of the Department's drag-line excavators have been working on the Hauraki Plains during the year. One has been working on the Piako River right bank and has raised nearly two miles of stop-bank during the year, one has been removing Poa aquatic® weed-growth and improving and deepening the Puhanga Canal, and the other four have completed the widening and deepening of over ten miles of main outlet drains as mentioned above. A new Jacques Jl5 § cubic-yard excavator was purchased during the year. This machine is very similar to the R.B. 10's at present in use, and is operating very satisfactorily At the end of June, 1948, an R.B. 10 was transferred to the Hauraki Plains from the Waihi district, when a larger and more suitable plant was procured for the latter area. This R.B. 10 was in a bad state of repair and required complete overhaul. Spare parts proved so difficult to procure that the final assembly is not yet complete, but it is hoped to have this plant operating in the near future. An additional machine was also used during the year, this being a light R.B. 10 excavator belonging to a private firm which completed on contract the reconstruction of 87 chains of the foreshore stop-banks.

2

— 1946-47. 1947-48. Quantity. Value. Quantity. Value. Butter (tons) Cheese (tons) Plus farm-cost allowance on above p igs • • . - .. .. .. I Bobby calves .. .. .. 1 Cattle, sheep, &c. Total .. 1 2,738 4,269 5,021 11,539 24,294 £ 393,757 346,335 153,410 22,053 9,457 82,639 2,942 4,829 8,'000 10,814 25,039 £ 650,722* 594,731* 45,000 15,690 103,561 1,007,651 1,409,704 * Includes farm cost allowance.