o.—No. 4a.

10

REPORTS ON THE

The Survey Staff having been established, and all matters requiring frequent consultation with the Secretary for Crown Lands disposed' of, with the sanction of that officer I removed my office to Wanganui in April last. As I anticipated, the work of the office was greatly increased in consequence. Intending settlers can now obtain all the information they want, and many questions are settled at once which formerly took much tedious correspondence to explain, and which could not be explained by persons more accustomed to the plough than the pen, and who were rather irritated than enlightened by official letters in reply to theirs. It may perhaps appear that, whatever improvements have been effected in the mode of conducting the business of my district, the objects attained have not been commensurate with the expenditure involved. I submit, however, that in the management of any business, whether public or private, much money must be expended for which no immediate return can be looked for. In this particular case, though I could undoubtedly have effected a considerable saving both of time and money had I been free to act as I chose, yet, on the whole, the expenditure incurred in administering the confiscated lands may fairly be regarded as a judicious investment of capital. The sale of Cariyle, in May, 1870, realized over £6,200, and the next sale will probably yield a considerable sum ; while in the course of the year about £1,000 will be received for the 10-acre sections of Hawera and Manutahi, which are now all occupied and improved, while the whole of the land now trigonometrically surveyed may be disposed of during the summer, if necessary. I say this, of course, on the assumption that the present rate of expenditure is continued, and that any Native claims which may affect the Whenuakura Block are disposed of; while, should it be possible for the Government to carry out the arrangement discussed with the Natives by the Hon. Mr. Vox, in 1870, by which the whole of the confiscated lands would be left free to be dealt with, a much larger quantity of land might be brought into the market, and the settlement of the country greatly facilitated. In this case it might be advisable to employ another field surveyor, and in an)^ event I strongly recommend the appointment of a draughtsman, -whoso salary would be more than recouped to the Government by the fees for Crown grants which he could prepare. The Cariyle Survey Office is now finished, rfndnot to have it occupied by a regular draughtsman is to throw away some of the accommodation provided, as well as to occupy the time of the more highly-paid field surveyors less advantageously than is necessary. Besides this, a division of labour is always economical where each person emploved is fully occupied, as would be the ease in the Survey Department were this proposal, which I have before made, carried out. The estimates which I have sent in are based upon facts supplied by actual experience, and I see no way of materially reducing the expenditure required for any particular item, without sacrificing real economy to an appearance of it. A department, like a machine, must have each part properly proportioned, or there is a waste of power. If this principle is adhered to, the confiscated lands can be administered cheaply and efficiently, and these objects I have constantly kept in view in any recommendations I have made. Things have now been put into proper train for carrying out the work of this branch of the department easily and well. Improvements might still be made, chiefly in the direction of giving me more power to decide particular questions in accordance with general rules, instead of referring each to the head office. The mode of checking the expenditure might also bo simplified, as, on the plan at present adopted, exact accounts cannot be kept in this office, as I have before explained. It would also, I think, be advisable that I should be informed when my opinion is overruled in matters connected with the lands in my district. I mention this because I notice in the New Zealand Gazette No. 40, of the 19th April, 1871, that all the land set apart for reserves has been gazetted, though, at the time I sent in the schedule, I protested against this being done till the surveys were further advanced, as it seemed probable that advantageous exchanges might be made. lam still of that opinion, and I also believe that errors of survey and description exist which it will now bo difficult to rectify. In the case of the Eailway Eeeerve, the opposite course was pursued with evident advantage. Nearlv a year ago I had proposed that the old leases should be sold by auction. A short time since I received'instructions to advertize them accordingly. Under the altered circumstances of the country, I advised that this should not be done until it was seen where the proposed line of railway was likely to go. My advice was taken, and land was prevented from being locked up for years, which may realize a large sum if it is deemed expedient to sell it. I trust that, on the whole, the Government will be satisfied with the manner in which the business of this branch of the department now in my charge has been conducted. However this may be, I can safelv say that each officer under my control has exerted himself to the utmost, and that if any mistakes of administration have been made, they are not responsible for them. I have, &c, Robert Phaeaztn, The Secretary for Crown Lands, "Wellington. Commissioner of Confiscated Lands.

See Memo. No. 2, by Mr. Fox, dated Feb. 1, 1870, and printed in the Appendix to Journals for tliat year, A. No. 4, page 6.

No. 12. Mr. H. Piiakazyn to the Hon. the Native Mikistee. g ln> Confiscated Lands Office, Wanganui, 30th November, 1371. As directed in your letter of November 30th, 1871? I have the honor to report on the extent and position of the several reserves which have been laid off for the Natives in the Waitotara and Patea Districts. The appended schedule was made up from the standard maps and a tracing famished by Mr. Parris, and I observe that it differs slightly from that given by the Commissioner of Native Reserves in his report noted in the margin. The acreages given are merely approximate, as only such of the boundaries of the reserves were

Vol. 3, Appendix to Journal of House of Representatives, 1870, I). No. 16, page G.