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Survey Inspections. —During the year 11 field inspections have been made, and the work has proved to be satisfactory. Other Work consists of inspections, reports, road-deviations, engineering, and other miscellaneous surveys. Proposed Operations for 19/.4.-15. —The work will comprise the subdivision of Runs 145 and 145a in conjunction with the adjoining freeholds when acquired; the standard survey of part of the Canterbury Plains; the survey of a new road over the extension of the Port Hills; the survey of any estates that may be acquired; and various small surveys in different parts of the district. Land Transfer. —During the year 388 plans have been examined and approved, embracing 120,794 acres; 2,748 transfers, leases, Proclamations, &c, have been dealt with; and diagrams (in duplicate) have been placed on 2,216 certificates of title, all the copies having been prepared in the office, as the contract for the supply of certain of these has been terminated; a set of 80-chain lithos has been mounted in 11 maps, showing all the counties and road districts, &c, in the land district. Many of the old deposit plans, having been in use for over forty years, are getting badly worn, and 10 of them have been replotted and 50 remounted. Office-work. —During the year 29 Public Works plans, 20 road plans, 32 land-for-settlements plans, and 28 miscellaneous plans were examined and approved. Tracings of two sheets of the Amuri County have been prepared for photo-lithography : these should be very useful. Changes in the Staff. —Mr. L. Hunt, surveyor, who was temporarily employed on settlement surveys here, returned to Marlboi'ough in April. Mr. Hathaway, unlicensed assistant, was transferred to Auckland, and Mr. T. A. Searell, cadet, to Wellington; Messrs. R. J. Cornwell and C. D. Gaudin, cadets, have recently joined the staff. In conclusion, I wish to record my appreciation of the hearty co-operation of the staff, both field and office. C. R. Pollen, Chief Surveyor.

OTAGO. Minor Triangulation. —No work under this heading has been done during the last year. Topographical. —Ranger Leonard accompanied Captain Head in the latter's expedition to the Upper Dart Valley and fixed the position of the Dart and other glaciers and the dividing range between the Dart and Arawaia Valleys. Rural and Suburban. —Our staff surveyor, Mr. S. T. Burton, has been engaged in this work, and as it was impossible for him to overtake it all it was found necessary to secure the services of two contract surveyors for the subdivision of Te Puke and Clareview Settlements, the former being carried out by Mr. M. Begg and the latter by Mr. J. B. Couston. The total area returned is 4,520 acres, made up as follows : 1,425 acres divided into 10 allotments in Te Puke and Clareview; 48 sections comprising 2,642 acres, consisting of small areas for settlement purposes, &c, scattered throughout Central Otago; and 453 acres carried out by private surveyors, the cost of the work being defrayed by the applicants. Standard Surveys. —Mr. W. T. Neill, Inspecting Surveyor, has made good progress with this work, but, as during the previous year, has been much hampered by unsettled weather. The work in the city, South Dunedin and Caversham, as provided for in the first agreement with the City Council, is now complete with the exception of the plans, which are in a forward state. In January work was commenced in the North-east Valley, and preliminary work has been extended along the Main North Road and over the townships to the south-east of this line. A 7 in. theodolite has been obtained for this work and improvements made in the measurement apparatus in order to secure the greatest possible degree of accuracy. Town Surveys. —The staff work under this head consisted of the subdivision of the unsurveyed portion of Dunkeld, consisting of about 30 acres divided into 89 sections, carried out by Mr. S. T. Burton, and the subdivision of the Dunedin Gaol-site into 3 sections by Mr. W. T. Neill, and the laying-off of a reserve in Koniako by Mr. Burton. Plans of 6 private townships were examined and approved under section 3 of the Land Laws Amendment Act, 1912. Mining Surveys. —The area surveyed for mining purposes was 445 acres, divided into 7 sections, the work being undertaken by private surveyors for the fees. Roads and Railways. —Twenty-one plans were examined and approved, all, with one exception, being the work of private surveyors. Land Transfer. —Ninety-one plans were examined and approved, comprising 8,690 acres. Proposed Operations for the Year. —The standard survey of the City of Dunedin will be continued under the direction of Mr. W. T. Neill, Inspecting Surveyor, during the year. Assistant Surveyor S. T. Burton has in hand 515 acres, 14 sections, spotting surveys, and 7,500 acres run surveys, and will be busily engaged during the year by keeping these spotting surveys up to date and assisting with the subdivision of the Omarama Runs—lß2,9oo acres —which are to bo subdivided into 7 holdings. For this work it is proposed to have the assistance of two additional surveyors from other land districts. Office-work. —During the year the following plans were examined and approved : 91 Land Transfer, 21 road and railway, 7 mining, 80 staff, making a total of 199. A new map on 40-chain scale of Leaning Rock district, for photography, was prepared, and 46 tracings for sale posters were made; 6 maps for the Land Office were drawn, and new record maps on the 20-chain scale of Tiger Hill and Benger districts were completed. A portion of the 4-mile map of Otago and Southland was redrawn and lithographed, and several sets of new townships and subdivisions