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Proposed Operations, 191J/.-15. —Mr. Thomas Brook, Inspecting Surveyor, will carry out field inspections of staS and private surveyors, and miscellaneous surveys, in addition to his duties of General Supervisor in the Gisborne office, and such other work that may be relegated to him from time to time. Mr. E. H. Farnie, District Surveyor, apart from the work mentioned under the heading of "Work in Progress," will take in hand the survey of Heru-a-tureia Crown lands block of 3,990 acres. Mr. John Roddick, District Surveyor, will continue with several Native Land Court surveys in Waipiro, Mata, and Tokomaru Survey Districts. Mr. H. E. Walshe, Assistant Surveyor, has the survey of the Waipaoa Block in hand, as already mentioned. This will take up his full time well on to the end of the year, his only other work at present being the survey of a drain reserve at Argyll Settlement. Mr. Cagney, Assistant Surveyor, will carry out the survey of his portion of the Wharekahika Native Block. Mr. Gray, Assistant Surveyor, will continue the survey of the national-endowment block, after which he will survey a police reserve in the Taramarama district. Mr. Atkinson, temporary Assistant Surveyor, will take the revisional survey of the Manawaangiangi subdivisions, and simultaneously with this will carry on the subdivisional survey of the Mangamaire Block of 8,994 acres. He has several minor surveys on hand which he will complete at an early date. Mr. Primrose, temporary Assistant Surveyor, will continue the survey of the Wharekahika Block in conjunction with Mr. Cagney. This will occupy the full time of these surveyors until the end of the year. Mr. W. S. Thompson, temporary Assistant Surveyor, will continue the survey of the Waipaoa Block in conjunction with Mr. Walshe, and will be fully occupied with this work until well on to the end of the year. Mr. A. Hodgkinson, District Surveyor, who is to be transferred in April of the coming year to this district from Marlborough, will be given the following surveys : Road from Glenross to Omahaki Block; Timahanga Block, 17,600 acres; Omahaki Block, 15,710 acres, to be subdivided into small grazing-runs. Private surveyors will carry on the subdivision of 49,246 acres requisitioned for by the Native Land Court. It was found necessary to further increase the staff owing to the increasing work in the subdivision of Crown lands, land for settlements, and Native work carried out by staff surveyors. Office and other Work. —Land Transfer Branch:—Plans received : During the year 302 Land Transfer plans were received, also 125 Public Works plans, making in all 427 plans. Plans approved : 279 Land Transfer plans, consisting of 794 allotments and containing 94,909 acres and 12 perches, and 135 Public Works plans, consisting of 615 allotments containing 1,596 acres 2 roods 28 perches, were approved during the year. Computing Branch : —Plans received : During the vear 33 Crown plans, consisting of 128 allotments and containing 50,653 acres 2 roods 9 perches, and 120 Native plans in duplicate, consisting of 672 allotments and containing 75,184 acres 3 roods 34 perches, were received; also 2 plans of revisional standard work in the Town of Napier, and 1 plan of minor tri angulation. Plans approved : 17 Crown plans, consisting of 60 allotments and containing 1.3,535 acres 1 rood 22 perches, and 178 Native plans, consisting of 500 allotments and containing 73,310 acres and 10 perches, were approved during the year. Plans under check : There are 25 Crown plans, consisting of 106 allotments containing 48,811 acres and 24 perches, and 68 Native plans, consisting of 327 allotments and containing 39,200 acres 1 rood 8 perches, also 2 plans of revisional standard work of Napier and 1 plan of minor triangulation either under or awaiting examination. Fees collected for sale of lithographs, protractor sheets, tabulation forms, &c, amounted to £84 3s. Bd. Tracings for litho. purposes : 27 tracings were made for sale posters, &o. Miscellaneous tracings for field data, gazetting, Valuer-General, and various other purposes : 1,002 were prepared. Lithographs coloured : 111. District lithographs : Owing to the pressure of other work very little progress has been made in this section. One map, Tautane district, is very nearly complete. The county maps are being revised to fill the gap in the meantime. Other work : This consists of miscellaneous departmental duties; inspection of field-work of staff and private surveyors ; reports on roads to be opened and closed, &c. ; reinstatements of trigs, and standard pipes in the Towns of Gisborne, Wairoa, and Napier; engineering survey of drainage and roading at workers' dwellings, Hastings, &c. ; exchanges in connection with blocks purchased by the Crown; valuations by staff surveyors on areas proposed to be acquired by the Crown, etc., and a large amount of work done for other Departments; also the examination of survevors' unlicensed assistants. Transfers. —Mr. R. T. Sadd. my predecessor, was promoted to the charge of the Otago District at the end of March, being succeeded by myself, transferred from the Marlborough District. Mr. Hodjjkinson, District Surveyor, was transferred here to assist in coping with the increasing work in the field. General. —The work in this district is still increasing, and with the proposed acquisition of Native lands, both along the proposed Napier-Gisborne Railway and in other parts of the districts, and probablv the acquisition of more fstntos, the survey-work and land-settlement will be very considerable. The staff, both office and field, have done excellent work during the past year, and I have to thank thorn for their hearty co-operation with me in pushing ahead the landsettlement. W. H. Skinner, Chief Survevor.