once a year the Waihou and Piako Rivers would overflow, making agricultural settlement of the area difficult because of the poor drainage. The people who lived around Hauraki wanted permission from the Government to drain the land but the Government said it could never be done, as parts of the Hauraki Plains were two meters below sea level. However, in 1908 an act was passed to give the people permission to drain the land. The Government paid the workers to dig the drains, a process that took ten years to complete. First land ballots In 1910 the Government decided to open an area of for settlement on the Hauraki Plains. Ballots were held for the blocks, which attracted the interests of future settlers and businessmen in the Thames Valley. Miners in the South Island were keen to settle in the area if sections were drawn up by the Government. The first applications for land blocks were made at the Miner's Union Hall in Thames on 18 May 1910. Prices ranged from $10–$15 an acre, depending on how much land was being bought and the location of the block. Some of the most sought-after blocks had up to 99 applicants. Drainage systems Work started immediately after the passing of the Hauraki Plains Act. Controlling the flooding of the Piako River which overflowed at least once a year was crucial. This was achieved through the construction of stop-banks to prevent flood and tidal overflow. Farmers were required to dig drains, ranging from one to two metres wide, through their land. These drains connected to the main drains, which brought the water out and into the canals. Floodgates were installed to prevent the ingress of water into the canals, while allowing floodwaters to flow out of the system. As a result of the drainage system, the size of the wetlands declined to less than 25% of their original area. Once the land was mostly drained, scrub, logs and tree stumps had to be cleared, and the earth leveled, to convert it to pasture. The scrub and waste was burnt off. River transport River transport was the most effective method to transport goods, people and animals to the Hauraki Plains, as an effective roading system had not yet been established. Ship traffic Ships of all sizes plied the rivers of the Hauraki Plains, from tiny row boats to huge barques although, most of the