INSTITUTE OF SURVEYORS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1043, 4 February 1911, Page 3

INSTITUTE OF SURVEYORS.

MONTHLY MEETING. Hie council of iMie New Zealand lusti# tute of Surveyors met in the Stock Exchange Building yesterday, Mr. H. .J. Wylcle, of Palmerston North (vice-presi-dent) presiding. Ajso present were Messrs. Fulton, Davis, and Smith, all of Wellington. The following Invercargill local committee was approved:—Messrs. H. R. Diindas (chairman), T. S. Miller-(secre-tary), Blaikie, Druric, Dickie, Faulkner, Macdonald, and Tressider. A number of questions were dealt with in a letter from the Gisborne local committee. One item, dealing with survey regulations, was referred back in order that clearer and more, definite information might be supplied. In another passage the Gisborne committee, referring to the fact that- the regulations prescribed that there should bo not more than an assistant to.each surveyor, quoted a remark made by the Native Minister in Parliament, to the effect that Native land , surveys were being carried out by .101 surveyors and £61 assistants. The council decided to reply that probably the Minister had referred not to assistants, but to assistant surveyors, which would include also cadets. Tho Surveyor-General had deuic-d that more than one assistant to each surveyor was permitted. If the' Gisborne committeo knew of ail acual case in which' a breach of the rule had occurred .the council would be glad to have the facts placed before it. Another Gisborne complaint was that the local District Survey Oilico was understaffed. The couucil was asked to take action witli a view to having this state of affairs amended.

A reply is to be made that complaints of this kind are being received from all parts of New Zealand, and more particularly from the Auckland district. The council intended to take action in the matter, and would bo glad to have its hands strengthened by any facts as to the condition cf aifairs at the Gisborne office. A complaint was received from the Four-in-Hand Goldminmg Company (Auckl? v iid) in regard to certain charges made by a mining surveyor, a member of the institute, resident in Auckland. The council, after considering evidence brought bc-fore it to the cifcct that in addition to survey work a considerable amount of expert reporting and evidence had been required, decided that the charge made had not been excessive in a degreo that would warrant its. interference.

Consideration of several matters referred to tho council from the. annual mooting at Dunedin, on account of the small attendance at yesterday's meeting,, was held over until next month.