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WESTLAND. Minor- Triangulations. —The year's return under this heading amounts to 10,000 acres, by Mr. A. N. Harrop, being the breaking-down of larger triangles in the Arnold and Waimea Survey Districts to control settlement surveys. Topographical Surveys amount to 18,100 acres, by Messrs. Morison and Harrop. These were made to cover a number of temporary leases which the Board wished to convert into more permanent titles. Rural Surveys comprise 20,385 acres in 120 sections. The mean cost of 2'Bs. per acre must, 1 think, be considered very reasonable considering the isolated nature of most of the work and the heavy bush cutting. Village and Suburban. —Mr. Cunningham returns 151'5 acres under this heading, being small sections in various parts of the district. Town Surveys. —The only item under this heading is a drill-hall site of 13 perches in the Town of Hokitika, surveyed by Mr. Wilson. Roads. —Only a few miles are returned under this heading, at a cost of £15'85 per mile. They were laid off to give access to isolated holdings. Other Work, of which full details appear in the schedule, amounted to £221 17s. 3d., and included inspections and reports on various matters, also cost of transfer of Mr. Morison and party to Marlboruogh and back, and six weeks' salary to Mr. W. Wilson on retirement. "Office-work. —The staff have had a busy year in keeping pace with current work. Owing to the amendment of the regulations for the holding of pastoral land in Westland, which came into force in March of last year, the Board has been able to convert a large number of temporary titles which had been granted on sketch-plans into the more permanent tenure. This has meant a lot of work in preparing data for the surveyors and in clearing up old discrepancies in the plans. The total number of plans received for examination was 88, with 198 traverse sheets, comprising 18 Land Transfer, 12 mining, IT statutory, and 41 relating to land-settlement. 739 diagrams were placed on deeds —namely, 551 on Crown leases and 186 on Land Transfer titles. In all 12 photo-lithogrnphic tracings were prepared, representing 20,000 acres of land, of which 15,500 acres were land for settlement. 487 tracings of all descriptions were made, including those for survey data, and 351 lithographs were coloured. Numerous lithographs were mounted and coloured for the use of the public, including one complete set of Westland. All the timber records and maps have been kept well up to date. Tracings and descriptions for Gazette notices have been prepared, while the usual routine work of recording, cross-indexing, mounting plans, &c, is well in hand; also the work of bringing into a proper state the recording and indexing of all the reserves in Westland. The block sheets. Land Transfer and Crown grant record plans still requite a considerable amount of work to bring them into a satisfactory condition, but it is hoped that some of these plans may be proceeded with during the ensuing year. Proposed Course of Operations for the Coming Year. —At present we have 25,630 acres awaiting survey, and these figures will be largely augmented by current applications during the year as°the sawmills advance with their cutting operations. Mr. Harrop is engaged on a block of 3,500 acres at Ruthergleu, for the purpose of converting temporary grazing leases into more permanent tenures, and Mr. Cunningham has in hand 2,700 acres of a similar class of work near Barrytown. Mr. Morison is engaged on spotting surveys. I propose to start with the survey near Bruce Bay as soon as the winter is over, and for this purpose it is essential that I should be provided with two more survey parties. Changes in Staff. —Mr. W. Wilson, Senior District Surveyor, resigned at the end of Novemb'er to enter into private business. He had been connected with the Department in this district for some twenty-eight years, and was-a most capable and energetic officer. I was exceedingly sorry to lose his services. Mr. D. M. Calder, Chief Draughtsman, left for Dunedin on promotion as from the 31st March. All the parties in the iield were visited by me at least once during the year, and in some cases two or three times. In conclusion, I desire to thank the staff for their active co-operation in carrying out the duties of the office. H. D. M. Haszabd, Chief Surveyor.

CANTERBURY. Triangulatiou. —No work of this nature has been done during the year. Topography. —Only 11,160 acres, near Ashwick, has been completed. Rural. —Under this heading 82,208 acres are returned, but most of the field-work of this was practically completed during the previous year. It comprises Ashwick, Mount Nessing, Lansdown, and Tara. Settlements, Crown lands at Oxford Bush, &c. Village and Suburban and I 1 own Section Surveys. —Very little has been done under this heading—47 acres and 16 acres respectively. Native Land Court Surveys. —There were only 9 subdivisions, comprising 63 acres. Gold-mining Surveys. —There were none. Roads. —The 20'55 miles returned included portion of Summit Road, access road to Oxford Bush, and also 11| miles of standard traverses near Rangiora, Fendalton, and Prebbleton. These traverses will prove very useful, as, owing to the increasing plantations and closer settlement on the Canterbury Plains, the ordinary system of triangulation can no longer be utilized in many localities.