SECOND EDITION. THE SURVEYS OF THE COLONY.

Evening Star, Issue 3791, 19 April 1875, Page 3

SECOND EDITION. THE SURVEYS OF THE COLONY.

(From the Daily Times.)

Major Palmer’s report upon the state of surveys in New Zealand gives a sketch history of each survey separately, and consists of twentyeight pages of closely-printed matter. Taranaki is the only Province he did not visit and personally ascertain the progress of the surveys. Respecting the survey system in Otago, the report says that a safe and steady system has been pursued there ; hence the surveys of Otago are now, on the whole, in a better state than those of the other Provinces, and there have been few errors, and very little waste. The late Chief Surveyor, Mr J. T. Thomson, established in 1861 a uniform system of survey, which, if not highly scientific or scrupulously exact, was at least simple and practical, and not likely to introduce inordinate errors or distortions. Upon this system the surveys have been pushed on as quickly as possible, under the direction of Mr Thomson, and latterly under that of his successor, Mr M'Kcrrow. They have generally kept pace with the demands of settlement, and are at present in a forward state. After giving a short account of the Otago system of survey, Major Palmer says that seven million acres have been triangulated and topographically sketched, leaving 9,038,400 acres untouched, two-thirds of whichis, however, little but mountain and forest, and 2,800,000 acres have been section surveyed. These figures include Southland, but as that Province, after union with Otago, was brought as far as i ossible under the general system, the isolated surveys which were required could fortunately be connected in most cases with the triangulation, and placed sufficiently well on the topographical maps to prevent confusion and overlaps. All the work hitherto done m u y accoidingly be considered fairly accurate, showing that as an expedient for promoting rapid and correct land sales, and preventing waste, the Otago system has answered well. Indeed, both of the cardinal branches, trigonometrical and details, have been surrounded with most of the safeguards and precautions which should be looked for in a well-managed survey department. When, as the surveys within circuits progressed, and the various initial points came to be connected to- § ether by intervening mining triangulations, it ecame possible to test the accuracy of the work by making comparisons between the observed difference of latitude and the differences computed through the net-work of triangles, and so by comparing the observed and computed convergence of meridians, the result of these tests was very satisfactory, considering the means and the instruments used, and they do high credit to the skill and care of Mr M‘Kerrow, by whom all original observations for latitude and true azimuth were made. The following is a summary of the progress tions surveyed (trustworthy), 2,800,000 acres; triangulated and tographically surveyed only, 4,200,000; reconnaisance only, 4,000,000; unsurveyed, 5,038.400; total area of Otago, 16,038,400. The surveys of native lands and confiscated lands, as originally performed, are described as very bad, disclosing most alarming blunders and distortion. The history of the Auckland surveys is one of lamentable confusion and neglect, and want of system and accuracy, many of the record maps beii'g next to useless for public purposes. Hawkes Bay is little better. Though the surveys showed many inaccuracies and shortcomings in Wellington when the present Chief Surveyor, Mr Jackson, took office in 1865, he commenced to gradually sweep away large inadvertencies of blunders and chaos under a system of trigonometrical survey, so that now more than two-thirds of the sold and granted lands in the Province have teen laid out and mapped within similar limits of error, and may be brought under the Land Transfer Act without further trouble. The Taranaki records showed that, as elsewhere, false economy at the outset had resulted in confusion and constant trouble. Nels n, fortunately, has one-fifth of the Province unexplored, for the general want of system and accuracy noticedin other Provinces seems to have prevailed to a greater extent in Nelson. The Marlborough surveys are somewhat similar in character to those of Nelson. The Westland surveys generally are referred to in favorable toms, and, as regards maps, Westland is ahead of other places. A great portion of the Canterbury surveys are far from accurate, and will have to be gone over again, especially north of Bangitata. [Here follow Major Palmei’s recommendations, which we publish in our telegraphic columns.]