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to call for special mention : Two district maps of Blackstone and Gimmerburn, and an up-to-date map of Oamavu Town were drawn for photo-lithography, also maps of Windsor Park Settlements Nos. 1 and 2. The following were drawn on transfer-paper, namely: Duncan Settlement and Town of Manuherikia. Besides the usual photos in connection with the above settlements, photos were also taken of Otakou Native Reserve and of Neill's " quadrupod " for permanent trig, signals. Compiled tracings were prepared on the 40-chain scale for publication on the mile scale of the following survey districts, namely : Logan, Idaburn, Maniototo, Serpentine, Long Valley, Manorside, Upper Taieriside, Kyeburn, St. Bathan's, Turnagain, Hedgehope, St. Abb's, parts of Eock and Pillar, Cluden, and Lauder. These comprise the whole of the Maniototo County. The following districts are now under way, and comprise the unpublished portion of Waitaki County, namely : Domet, Mount Buster, Otamatakau, Gala, Bemnore, Ohau River, Ohau Lake, Ahuriri, Hawkdun, Longslip, and Longslipside. Ie is intended to extend this class of work to include the whole of the Otago Land District not already published on the mile scale. There is also being prepared a new map of the Tuapeka County showing tenures, &c. Tracing of the 5-chain plan of Dunedin and suburbs was completed, and forwarded to the Head Office to be published in several colours. The importance of this map will be appreciated for general purposes when the amalgamation of the surrounding boroughs into a Greater Dunedin is effected. The city and suburban boroughs are now moving in this direction. 183 plans of various kinds were received from the staff and private surveyors, and examined, approved, and recorded on Crown-grant, county, and Land Office maps. The number of Crown grants, certificates of title, and other instruments of title prepared during the year were 214 in duplicate, 984 in triplicate ; total 1,198. Printing. —Town of Manuherikia was transferred to stone, and 250 copies pulled; also 250 protractors, 250 abstract forms, 100 tidal forms, 200 monthly schedules, 100 weather reports, and seventy-five settlers' guide posters. Record-maps were repaired and folios properly bound. Forty-three maps were mounted for the Valuation Department, twenty-eight for the Roads, thirtythree for Rangers, and 524 for the Lands and Survey. Proposed Operations for the Year 1903-4. —The work for the year may be approximately detailed as follows : District Surveyor Wilmot will complete a small settlement block at Tapanui upon which he is now engaged. Afterwards he will proceed with the subdivision of St. Helen's Estate acquired under the Land for Settlements Act, subsequently a block of land taken from Matakanui Run for subdivision under the Mining Districts Land Occupation Act; and also a considerable area reserved for close settlement from Moutere Run will be taken in hand by him, and these, with the numerous "spotting" areas throughout the district, will occupy his attention for the year. District Surveyor Calder is now engaged on and will complete the subdivision of Keenan's Run ; this block is being surveyed into areas for disposal under lease-in-perpetuity and pastoral tenures. After the completion of this work he will assist in the survey of Patearoa Run, and will also carry out the various classes of mining and other surveys in his district. District Surveyor Neill has been since the middle of February subdividing the pastoral portion of Patearoa Run, and will continue this and the small grazing-run and smaller areas until completion. This, with the (in that district) necessary interruption of at least two months on account of snow and frost, will occupy him the greater part of the year. The following is a list of the larger blocks to be surveyed, with approximate areas : Patearoa, 60,000 acres; Keenan's Run, 13,000 acres; part of Moutere, 12,000 acres; Matakanui, 2,000 acres; Tapanui, 1,000 acres. From the above it will be seen that the three staff surveyors will be fully employed for the year, so that should any estates be acquired under the Land for Settlements Act, it might become necessary to postpone some of the surveys above referred to. D. Baehon, Chief Surveyor.

SOUTHLAND. Minor Triangulation and Topography. —No work under this heading has been undertaken or executed in this land district during the year, but, as directed, I have had all the triangulations thoroughly examined, and forwarded an exhaustive report, accompanied by map and diagrams. This important work I intrusted to Mr. District Surveyor Mathias, who has gone very thoroughly and carefully into the whole matter. Rural and Suburban. —The total area surveyed during the year was 9,373 acres, comprising thirty-one sections, at an average cost of l-635. per acre. Nearly the whole of the country covered by these surveys is dense forest. Of this area 2,955 acres represents Mr. Hodgkinson's surveys in Blocks XVII. and XIX., Longwood, ten sections, at a cost of £406 7s. 7d., or 2'7s. per acre. Mr. Lilliecrona completed the plans of 3,605 acres in Blocks I. and V., Rowallan, adjoining his landless Natives survey, and, as he had finished the particular work for which he was engaged, he severed his connection with the Department, and is now in South Africa. Mr. Otway, who has also been engaged during the year on a survey of a block of land in the Waitutu district for landless Natives, has completed the field-work of 116 sections, embracing an area of about 31,000 acres, at a cost for the year of £896 10s. Bd. During the year the surveyors have experienced exceptionally wet weather, which has been very trying to themselves, causing considerable loss of time and retarding generally the progress of their work. Gold-mining Surveys. —Six sections are returned under this heading, of a total area of 292 acres, at a cost of £87 135., or 6s. per acre. These were done by private surveyors under the " fee system." One of the sections, 4 acres, was a coal-lease area. Land Transfer. —Sixty-nine plans, embracing an area of 25,064 acres, were examined and passed. Marginal plans were placed on thirty-four certificates of title in triplicate, and 457 in duplicate.