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private surveyors at schedule rates. An area of 100,683 acres is in hand Cor the coming year, authorities having already been issued to the various private surveyors. Roads. —Of the 20f miles returned only 6f (being portion of the Wanganui River-bank Eoad) are independent of settlement surveys. Other Work. —The main body of settlement survey is surrounded by a fringe of small surveys, reports, inspections, &c, undertaken usually in the winter recess, and which cannot be classified under the main headings. It includes, for instance, all the inspections which form the Inspecting Surveyor's principal occupation, also the cost of his duties as the principal office computer and examiner of plans. Proposed Survey Operation*. —One staff surveyor will complete the subdivision of the Waimarino A Block (Native) of about 14,850 acres, the work of which has hitherto been seriously complicated by the discord between a necessary scheme of loading and the suggested subdiyisional boundaries. Three staff surveyors will continue the present work in hand of the subdivision of about 30,800 acres of settlement land in the Whirinaki and Retaruke Survey Districts, and on its completion, three or four months hence, will proceed with the subdivision of scattered blocks aggregating 4,570 acres. Mr. Strachan on resuming his field-work will be similarly occupied. Apart from the 30,800 acres mentioned above, an area of 9,440 acres, representing the Poroporo Settlement, is completed, but owing to non-completion of plans has to be returned as "work in hand." Sufficient data, however, was obtained to allow sale posters to be published. Examination of /'Jans. — The number of plans approved during the year was 575, of which 255 were for the Land Transfer Department, 250 in the General Computing Branch, and 70 in the Statutory Plans Branch. The new plans in the General Branch covered 30,560 acres, comprising 108 sections, and in the Native Surveys 74,750 acres, comprising 601 subdivisions. Land Transfer. —In addition to the 255 plans approved, the branch also examined 67 applications, 1,496 transfers, 246 leases, 106 mortgages, 224 Native Land Court orders, 23 Orders in Council, 62 Proclamations, 390 balance certificates, 56 caveats, and 51 other dealings, besides placing 4,169 diagrams upon certificates of title. Native Land Court IFork. —A very considerable amount of work, passes under this heading. 130 requisitions for survey have been received from the Judges, and authorities issued for the survey of 83,448 acres at an approximate cost of £8,388. Liens have been collected amounting to £4,850 Bs., the repayment of which enabled 284 Court orders to be endorsed. Plans to the number of 172, showing 601 subdivisions and comprising 74,750 acres, were passed through. 516 charging-orders have been made, and 226 notices of release issued. A careful record of all outstanding liens has been compiled, and this very necessary information is now available in a concise form. General Draughting. —The ordinary work lias been somewhat hampered by changes and '"' strike matters," but good progress has been made with very necessary stock work, principally the preparation of district lithos, and during the season 16 plans have been drawn on 40-chains-to-the-inch and sent on for photo-litho. In addition to this 13 plans were prepared; 4 block sheets; 2 Crown-grant record maps; 2 trig, maps; 5 county maps renewed; 231 plans reduced and recorded; 73 tracings prepared for photo-litho; 1,335 tracings for general purposes; in addition to the large amount of work which it is impossible to schedule, but which accompanies nearly every case where titles and surveys are concerned. Changes of Staff. —The Chief Draughtsman, Mr. Maurice C. Smith, was promoted to be Chief Draughtsman in the Head Office, and Mr. Marsh, Chief Draughtsman, Dunedin, succeeded him here. Mr. Greville, Inspecting Surveyor and Chief Computer, was transferred to the Auckland District. In compliance with a medical recommendation Mr. Strachan, District Surveyor, was retired from the field to the office for twelve months. Messrs. Primrose and Seddon passed their surveyor's examinations, and were appointed as Assistant Surveyors in other districts, and Mr. Clements was transferred to this office from Hokitika. I understand that arrangements have been made to supply me with the services of several temporary draughtsmen and computers, with whose assistance I expect to be able to overtake some arrears which have accumulated in various branches. (Note. —At date of writing the temporary men are here.) General Remarks. —I have much pleasure in reporting that the surveyors in the field and the officers of the draughting staff have carried out their duties in a satisfactory and efficient manner. T. N. Beodriok, Chief Surveyor.

NELSON. Triangnlation. —The work under this heading completed during the year is 181,583 acres, chiefly in the Waitakere district, near Charleston, the average cost being l'4d. per acre. Standard. Survey. —The much-needed survey of the City of Nelson has now been accomplished by Mr. C. A. Mountfort, District Surveyor, acting under the control of the Head Office. Tα-pographical Survey for Selection. —An area of 26,000 acres has been completed at an average cost of 3d. per acre, the chief item being an area of 15,000 acres at the head of Lake Rotoiti. Sural. —Under this head the total area of 82,767 acres is returned, at an average cost of 2'l2s. per acre. Practically the whole of these areas were in heavy bush, great part on the West Coast, where rough country and a wet climate obtain. Thirteen staff surveyors with two assistants and four contract surveyors executed this work with commendable diligence. Town Selection Surveys. —Some 6 acres are returned under this head, the chief item being the Leaver Settlement for workers' homes in the Town of Westport.