SURVEYS FOR THE COLONY.

Evening Star, Issue 3223, 19 June 1873, Page 3

SURVEYS FOR THE COLONY.

A valuable supplement to the report of the Conference of Chief Surveyors has been appended in the shape of a letter from Mr J. T. Thomson, the Chief Surveyor of Otago, to the Secretary for Crown Lands. Mr Thomson, commenting upon the report, points out that the really essential part of Colonial survey, is not major, but minor triahgulation. He recommends that the actual settlement surveys should be left to local administration, but that the astronomical, geographical, and geodesies), being the standard branches of survey should bo undertaken by the Colony at once. The higher officers of the new establishment required would be—(l) a Surveyor-General, to devise and superintend the system, and prepare maps showing geographical results ; (2) an Astronomer and Geodesian to observe latitudes and longitudes, and take charge of and work out geodetic operations; (3) Inspector of triangulations and reduced traverses, to see that a system were adhered to in field and office in all parts of the Colony. If the present survey officers retained their appointments, the extra cost involved by these new offices would be L6OO a year, supposing each officer selected to be now in receipt of a salary of L6OO a year ; if they were relieved of the appointments which they now bold, the cost would be L 2,400 per annum. Out of the Provincial staff, when they could be spared, four officers would have to be selected to carry on major triangulation ; they and their parties costing L 1,200 a year each, or 14,804 ft year,. The process costs $d to Id

per acre according to country, and should be carried as Ray traces from one geodesical station to another. These standard opera tions, Mr Thomson says, need only cover one-fifth part of the area of the Colony, and may be confined in the meantime to settled districts only. Their ultimate extent would be 13,400,000 acres, and cost L 27,900 to L 30,000, taking five or six years to complete ; but, probably half the Colony thus surveyed would suffice for many years, so that the coat may be reduced to L 2.400 per annum, for six years, or L 4,800 per annum for three years, when the parties would be disbanded, the officers being merged again into the Provincial staff, A cogent reason for performing these standard operations is given by Mr Thomson, in the probable cost which will have been incurred for surveys before the whole of the land of New Zealand is alienated from the Crown, which he estimates at LG, 700,000 ; and he also points out that from the L60,(00 a year which is now spent upon surveys, an experienced surveyor would soon make savings which would amply recoup apparent additions caused by the engagement of higher officers and the introduction of standard operations.