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REPORT. In the Surveyor-General's report for the year 1912-13 it was stated that the area surveyed during that year showed an excess over that surveyed the previous year. A like result is apparent in comparing the work performed this year with that performed last year. The area triangulated shows an increase of nearly 90,000 acres, and the rural an increase of about 140,000 acres. There is, however, a decrease in the Native Land Court surveys of about 96,000 acres, and m Maori Land Board surveys of 4,500 acres. It is very satisfactory to find that the cost per acre in all classes of survey is considerably less than it was last year. This is especially noticeable in the case of rural surveys by staff surveyors, where the price has fallen from 2s. last year to Is. 7d. this year. This tends towards showing that the staff surveyors have been pushing on their work with commendable zeal. The following table gives a summary of the principal classes of work completed during the year :—

Table A.

Triangulation. In the secondary tri angulation which is being carried out under the immediate control of the Head Office the design of the whole network over the Auckland District (covering an area of 28 000 square miles) has been completed, under the direction of Mr. Langmuir, at a total cost to'the 31st March of £3,208 15s. 6d. This cost includes the cost of the launch " Vanora," £625 18s. Bd.; first cost of signals. £488 11s. lid.; and office-work, £38 4s. 10d. A position for the final base for the North Island has been located, and repairs effected to old trig, stations included in the design. Computations have also been carried on as detailed in report by the Chief Computer. Minor triangulation has been restricted to such work as was necessary for the control of settlement surveys, and was carried out by staff surveyors under control of the Chief Surveyors. Auckland shows 37.300 acres; Hawke's Bay, 13,500 acres; Nelson, 181,583 acres; and Wjestland, 10,000 acres : a total of 242,383 acres, at an average cost of l'34d. per acre. Mr. Climie has undertaken triangulation in connection with the coupling-up of Mount Cook and Hector Observatories, and in his report will be found some very interesting information that he has searched out from old records. ' Standard Surveys. Work has been continued in the Auckland District by Mr. Langmuir, and under his direction by Mr. H. M. Kensington, and during the year the plans of the standard survey of Parnell have been completed, the total cost of the work to the Department being £783 os. 7d. It was

Glass of Work. Area. Cost per Acie. Total Cost. Triangulation, by staff surveyors Topographical, by staff surveyors Topographical, by contract surveyors Rural, by staff surveyors Rural, by licensed surveyors Rural, by licensed surveyors (costs not available) . . Village and suburban, by staff surveyors Town, by staff surveyors Acres. 242,383 99,644 6,072 494,308 42,634 15.662 1,775 212 (in 494 sections) 29,258 516,903 11,238 £ s. d. 1-34(1. 1,351 2 3 3-34(1. 1,388 13 11 l-30d. 33 0 0 l-58s. 39,034 10 0 2-50s. 5,326 5 1 7-14s. 633 19 3 25-70s. 634 19 0 per section 18-32d. 2,233 18 3 19-66d. 42,340 17 0 Native Land Court, by staff surveyors Native Land Court, by licensed surveyors Native Land Court, by licensed surveyors (costs not available) Maori Land Board, by staff surveyors Maori Land Board, by licensed surveyors Gold-mining, by staff surveyors Gold-mining, by licensed surveyors Gold-mining, by licensed surveyors (costs not available) Roads, by staff surveyors 4,487 8,726 76 749 748 218 miles 41-07d. 767 16 3 9-56d. 347 10 7 9-61s. 36 10 3 4-54s. 170 0 8 Roads, by licensed surveyors 7 „ £17-40 3,791 1 7 per mile £15-87 115 17 8 per mile Roads, by licensed surveyors (costs not available) .. 9 „