ROTARY

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 11, Issue 73, 29 August 1947, Page 5

ROTARY

WHAKATANE CLUB MEETING SURVEY WORK IN N.Z. An interesting dissertation on ‘surveying in New Zealand’ was the main feature of last Wednesday’s luncheon by the Whakatane Rotary Club. The talk was given by Mr Murray Linton, of Rotorua, who traversed a * wide field of development and historical data in the process.

By way of introduction Rotarian Linton said that the second objective .in Rotarianism was one’s own duty to the community through one’s work or service. Rotary taught that all kinds of work were dignified and that the person worthiest of his occupation was he who gave of his utmost in the service of his fellows.

Speaking of his own particular line, surveying, he said that the main survey work was carried out in 1867-68-69, when hardy officials pushed into the dense bush and were often absent for as long as five years, living entirely on fernroots and birds.

In both England and America the basis of the land titles was very vague. There was not the sound system which was employed in New Zealand and which dated back to the earliest of surveying under the ‘Parish Blanket’ system. Indeed many of the English titles had as their only basis the Doomsday Book of William the Conquerer. The system in New Zealand was infallible and this accounted for the high priority for Colonial surveyers from the Dominion who had been trained in our own elaborate system which had been found completely foolproof. *' The speaker dealt with the creation of Survey Districts which had superceded the old Parish set-up and which now covered effectually the whole of the Dominion. On the outbreak of hostilities between America and Japan, the American Army authorities demanded topographical maps of the country, and were incensed at their complete absence. However the Lands and Survey Department set to work and field parties were distributed all over the Dominion until a full series of maps had been produced of the main strategic areas, which he claimed were practically without peer anywhere, and were a distinct credit to the country as a whole. It was a pity that the whole scheme was not fully completed, for when the armistice was signed the field parties were withdrawn. Rotarian Linton dealt with the survey work carried out on the local Ngatiawa Development Scheme, and produced a recent map showing the areas worked and their productivity. He was accorded a hearty vote of thanks by acclamation on the motion of Rotarian Nev. Bremner. In the absence of the president (Rotarian Harry Warren), Rotarian Charlie Armstrong occupied the chair and welcomed members and visitors.