Ministry of Works Files - Miranda and Kaiaua

The Ministry of Works and Development was the principal organisation carrying out the physical, engineering and environmental investigations for many government departments before it was disbanded in the 1980s. Consequently, the Ministry of Works files contain a wealth of environmental information about the condition of our harbours, coastlines and waterways, both as they were originally, and as they were modified during settlement. To fully understand these files they need to be read in conjunction with information from other Government Organisations, in order to place the investigations into context. For example the development of the West Coast mobile sand dune problems and the subsequent attempts to stabilise them needs to be studied in conjunction with the Maori Affairs Department and the Department of Lands and Survey files. Both of these departments were involved in financing sand stabilisation projects. Eventually the work of sand dune conservation, (formerly done by the Agriculture Department and then by the Ministry of Works Soil Conservators (Water and Soil Division) after 1958), was passed on to the New Zealand Forest Service; who took control of nearly all exotic forest planting and management together with some erosion control functions where pine forests were involved. From 1958 onwards the Ministry of Works Water and Soil Division was the service provider for NWASCA (National Water and Soil Conservation Authority) and SC&RCC (Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Council), which authorised the funding for the many soil conservation activities throughout the country. All projects submitted for funding to the Authority by the various Catchment Authorities were examined by members of the Ministry of Works Water and Soil Division to ensure they were soundly based, before funding was approved. Thus, as the adviser to other government departments and NWASCA, the Ministry of Works played a pivotal role in land development and conservation throughout its existence. These files as a result contain a wealth of historical information about; land development, flood control schemes and soil conservation in New Zealand. Because of their extensive engineering knowledge, the Ministry of Works and Development (MWD) reviewed various engineering structures such as wharf construction, reclamations and coastal aggregate mining licenses for the Marine Department and later the Ministry of Transport. Purpose: See data set abstract below.

7/1 Harbour and Marine Works Annual Reports 1931-1945. January 1932: Rice grass Spartina Townsendii. A brief summary of discovery and its uses. Notes on planting or sowing seed. Lists experts who understand the plant. It was considered that the plant could never become a problem because of its agricultural value for grazing and hay making. The report was compiled by Mr. W. H. Hayes, Glen Eden Auckland. A Mr. Howell proposed to reclaim 294 acres of mud flats in Manaia Harbour using Spartina. Notes reference .Allen, H.H., 1929. Journal of Agriculture. Vol. XXXIX No.5. This article describes the growth pattern of Spartina planted in the Manawatu estuary. This is one of three reports on the plant. 7/1 Harbour and Marine Works Annual Reports 1946-1969. November 1948: Letter from Secretary of Marine outlining complaints about the Miranda Limeworks removing shell material from shell banks seawards of the farmland. Thought there was a possibility of flooding and damage to the coastal highway. Letter suggests that the excavations must be more than 66 feet (1 chain or 20m) from the road boundary and 132 feet (40 m) clear of the high water mark. June 1952: A circular of sea erosion and how government agencies could evaluate any proposed funding for protection works. 7/2 Harbour and Marine Works: Removal of sand Coromandel Peninsula. 1958-1970 In the 1950s the Lands and Survey Department was responsible for all Crown land and this included river and stream beds. Ministry of Works and the local Count Councils often used shingle from local streams for roading material. To simplify licensing these activities and Lands and Survey issued a blanket licence to Ministry of works to take shingle from all rivers and Streams. The Ministry of Works then issued permits to the County Councils and sent in a quarterly return to the Lands and Survey Department. Much of the contents of this file contains these returns from the different areas of the Coromandel Peninsula and the collated summaries sent to the Lands and Survey Department. August 1951: There several memos referring to illegal taking of sand and shingle from beaches. Associated files Paeroa 24/256, SH39/1/1 and SH72/25/2C/6 also Paeroa 24/1256 October to December 1960. 7/2 Harbour and Marine Works: Removal of sand Coromandel Peninsula. Volume II 1970-1974. Note: This file contains 3 monthly returns of material taken from beaches and streams in the Coromandel Peninsula and sent to the Lands and Survey Department who was responsible for Crown Land. This summary does not include these returns and anyone wanting to know where and when material was taken will need to consult these files at Archives NZ. 7/2 Harbour and Marine Works: Removal of sand Coromandel Peninsula. Volume III 1974-1976. May 1974: The Lands and Survey Department lost control of sand mining in rivers and beaches to the Mines Department. Control of sand removal now came under the Mines Act 1970. Ministry of Works now told that would have to apply to the Mines Department for a blanket approval to take sand and shingle from the catchments of the Peninsula. This was a continuation of the system run by the Lands and Survey Department. Ministry of Works then issued permits to remove material to local bodies and contractors. May 1974: Ministry of Works were told by the Mines Department that shingle removal from streams etc. was better dealt with under the Lands Act 1948 and that the Lands and Survey should control such licences. 7/2 Harbour and Marine Works: Removal of sand Coromandel Peninsula. Volume IV 1977–1981. February 1977: The Ministry of Transport instigated a requirement that the local Catchment June 1977: Ministry of Transport asked the Ministry of Works if there were any other beaches that were suitable for mining out of the public eye. March 1978: The Hauraki Catchment Board and Ministry of Works agree to work together on matters of coastal sand extraction. June 1978: The Thames Valley Gazette ran an article that reviewed present sand mining permits. Included was a report by R.W. Harris, on "Sand and Shingle Extraction from Coromandel Beaches and its Relation to Coastal Erosion" The report concludes that the existing licences should be declined. 12/48/1 Harbours and foreshores: Miranda-New Brighton Franklin County, Removal of sand and shell Part 1. June 1948. Miranda Lime works were accused of causing sea water to encroach onto farmlands (Marine Department file M/2683). The company had a 20 year lease (1934-1954) of Fairview Lands to take shell. The sand pit was on the landward side of the highway just to the north of Pukorokoro Stream. The shell bank was higher than the paddocks inland. The County suggested that removal should not take place within 1 chain of the highway on the landward side and should be two chains clear of the High water mark to protect the highway and the farm land. December 1948: An application was made to take shell for poultry grit from the Te Mako Block between Miranda and Kaiaua. This block is on the seawards side of the Kaiaua Stream. Works recommended that the application be declined. However locals claimed illegal mining had been taking place on the block for a number of years. March 1949: The highway had to be moved inland because of erosion of the foreshore. The cause of the erosion was thought to be from shell removal. June 1949: A blanket ban on sand mining on the coast between Kaiaua and Miranda was made. A protective strip at least two chains above the line of the extreme high tide was put in place. December 1949: Illegal shell removal was continuing and some shell extractors were taking material from prohibited areas. August 1959: Silting problems in the Pukorokoro Stream. Shell from the north was being moved south by persistent northeast gales. Shell on the beach was not being replenished because of the killing of the vast cockle beds by the Hauraki Drainage Scheme. The silting of the Pukorokoro Stream was causing the low lying farmlands to flood. A proposal was made to widen the stream from 40-300 feet (12-91 m). Part of the proposal was to take shell from the northern spit as part of the widening process. The proposal suggested that about 4,000 Yards3 (3058 m3) should be removed. September 1950: Mc Cullum Bros. Ltd, made a proposal to dredge for shell sand offshore in the Firth between Orere and Kaiaua. The application was approved but later it proved that there was little material to justify the effort. November 1961: An application to remove material from the Taramaire Stream. Mining was refused but a permit was given if the removal was done to unblock the stream. April 1963: The firm called "Excelsior Grit" applied to take shell from the Taramaire Spit. Proposed a topographic survey before the material was extracted and a second one six months later after the extraction had taken place. Franklin County was against any material removal for fear that it would endanger the highway. The proposal was apparently approved and a survey carried out. This was followed by a storm in which 320 yards3 were lost from the spit. Ministry of Works then recommended that a tallyman be employed to keep a record of how much material was removed. July 1963. Franklin County reported that the taking shell from the Taramaire Spit was threatening the security of the road to the north. September 1968: A proposal was made to remove 1000 yards3 (765m3) from the mouth of the Pukorokoro Stream to open the mouth and improve drainage and navigation. The file ends without recording the outcome of this proposal. 12/48 Harbours and Foreshores: Miranda Wharf Franklin County Starts 1913. Miranda wharf was in poor condition in 1913. Some 70 feet (21m) of the approach roads had been washed out by a severe storm in 1913. November 1946: A file note says that the Kaiaua and Miranda wharves had not been used for years because of better road transport. This note proposed the removal of the structures. The file notes the death of the cockle beds in the firth and attributes this to the peaty water that was entering the firth as the Hauraki Drainage scheme progressed. This file is linked to 12/48/1.

West coast of the Firth of Thames, including Miranda and Kaiaua

1948-1963

Varied. Frequency of collection: Irregular

Gaps in collection: Many gaps in data collection as many files just summarise known information. Completeness: Files closed.

Data summarised in this dataset, full data in physical files. Digital Format: Some images and reports scanned and stored at Waikato Regional Council.

None Sensitivity/Confidentiality: None

Comlete, historical.

Related information: These files are also related to the Ministry of Transport files.