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1,550 acres national endowment; Otamatea, 3,684 (1,820 national endowment) acres; Rodney, 1,030 (760 national endowment) acres; Waitemata, 4,440 (64(5 national endowment) acres; Raglan, 2,800 (850 national endowment) acres; Waikato, 5,000 acres national endowment; Waitomo, 6,850 acres; Awakino, 11,178 acres; West Taupo, 12,600 acres; Coromandel, 20,000 acres; Thames, 10,000 acres; Ohinemuri, 5,000 acres (1,650 acres land for settlement); Tauranga, 11,000 (6,200 national endowment) acres; Rotorua, 4,646 (2,646 national endowment) acres; Matamata, 6,700 acres land for settlement; E'ast Taupo, 10,000 acres; Opotiki, 5,000 acres; Whakatane, 3,000 acres. There will also be a considerable area set free for settlement, for which provision will be made, as soon as the report of the Kauri-gum Royal Commission is complete. The applications for areas under Hauraki pastoral lease show a large increase under the improved conditions, and I propose to detail an extra surveyor to meet this demand. Accounts. —The Accountant reports that the number of vouchers which passed through the books for the y r ear amounted to 3,150, for a total expenditure of £97,010 16s. 9d., which includes credit transfer vouchers for work done for other Departments, amounting to £22,287 4s. Bd. Transfers, &c. —The field staff has been increased by seven transfers and appointments, while one surveyor resigned and one transferred from the district. This includes the appointment of an additional Field Inspector. Owing to the demands of the public, increased office staff is required to keep arrears from unduly increasing and to fill vacancies caused by resignations. Conclusion. —1 have to thank the staff for their loyal efforts to cope with the heavy work. All officers, both field and indoor, have done their best to maintain the high standard of the Survey Department. H. M. Skeet, Chief Surveyor.

HAWKE'S BAY. Minor T riangulation. —Preparations are now being made to extend the major triangulation from the Auckland District over the northern part of Hawke's Bay, and until this is done to form an accurate basis it would not be advisable to execute any more minor trig, work than that actually required to control sectional surveys. The present minor trig, work is generally of a very poor standard, and, being on several different measurements-, is incapable of being brought into harmony without revision or extension. An area of 13,500 acres of this class of work was executed during the year for the purpose of controlling sectional surveys, as mentioned above. Topographical Survey for Selection. —Although nothing has been returned under this heading, a large area has been done by staff surveyors as a preliminary to the subdivision of Crown and Native blocks. This has been found very useful in presenting a more detailed knowledge of much country of which very little was known before except in a general way. The cost in each case has been included in the area under subdivision. Rural. —The work executed during the year consisted principally of five blocks situated in the Tahoraite, Waikareinoana, Waiau, Patoka, and Maungaharuru Survey Districts, and comprised an area of 42,373 acres at an average cost of l's7s. per acre, all by staff surveyors. The cost per acre is a little higher than usual owing to the cost of the Hukanui Block, in Waikaremoana and Waiau districts, being so high : this was due to the difficulty in working the heavy bush country and the excessively bad weather experienced during the survey. Staff surveyors have in hand under this heading on the 31st March, 1914, 109,162 acres, but the field and plan work of a large portion of this area—viz., Springhill, Kaiwaka, and Otawhao Blocks—is nearing completion. Town Surveys. —Although no area is returned under this heading for the year, 2 blocks subdivided into 50 lots, 1 lot in the Town of Napier and 49 lots in the Borough of Hastings, for workers' dwellings, are about complete. Village and Suburban. —Under this heading 4 lots were laid off, containing 97 acres, at a cost of 3'l7s. per acre. Roads. —Six Crown plans were received, giving a total length of 34 miles 51 chains : these are miscellaneous, and not a part of reading laid out in connection with land for settlement. Native Surveys. —The total area surveyed during the year amounted to 79,910 acres, in 743 subdivisions. Of this area the staff surveyed 4,726 acres into 71 allotments, at a cost of 22'33d. per acre (made up principally of the Otawhao, Omahu, Paramu, and Manutahi Blocks), while private surveyors completed 75,184 acres, containing 672 allotments. Field' Inspections. —During the year 23 field inspections of staff and private surveyors were carried out by Messrs. Brook, Farnie, Walshe, and Atkinson, and the works examined were found to be generally satisfactory. Mr. Brook carried out the work of inspection of the work of staff surveyors. Work in Progress. —The following are the principal surveys in hand: Kaiwaka Block, 14,483 acres, and Pohue—Tuitira Road and extension in connection with same; Marangairoa Native Block, 18,000 acres, and road access in connection therewith; Otawhao Block, 5,213 acres; Crown lands on Tutaekuri River-bed, 2,000 acres; Waipaoa Block, 16,785 acres; subdivision of Crown lands at Lake Waikaremoana, 6,000 acres; subdivision into 49 allotments of 30 acres for workers' dwellings at Hastings; subdivision into lots of 4 acres for workers' dwellings at Pakowhai Settlement, near Hastings; Springhill Estate (land for settlements), 6,236 acres; 6 Native surveys, containing 1,4-60 acres, in Waipiro, Mata, and Tokomaru Survey Districts; Mangawhariki Native Block, 7,145 acres; Wharekahika Native Block at East Cape, 42,000 acres. In the majority of cases the field-work in the above surveys has been completed and the plan-work well forward; while in others, such as Waipaoa and Wharekahika Block, the field-work is about three-eighths through.