The Globe. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1876.

Globe, Volume VII, Issue 774, 13 December 1876, Page 2

The Globe. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1876.

Much has been said, for some years past, in reference to the mode in which surveys in Canterbury have been executed. On the rough portions of the Province especially, —on Bank’s Peninsula, for instance —it is a notorious fact that sectional and detached surveys have been carried out irrespective of any checking triangulation, and mainly with the sole assistance of magnetic bearings. The Chief Surveyor, a year or two ago, when requested by the Government to report upon the state of incorrectness and confusion in which surveys on the Peninsula were alleged to be, stated in his reply, in effect, that things there were in such a mess as to preclude almost the possibility of any remedy. All he could suggest was, that the holdings or properties of the inhabitants be re-surveyed as they stood fenced in, with a view of their being Crown granted cle novo in their newly fixed positions; which meant, of course, that if Peter had trespassed upon Paul, or vice versa, the one encroached upon would become the loser without any possible means of recouping himself being placed within his reach. This remedy of Mr. Hewling’s was naturally thought a very severe one, involving issues of an unusually serious nature, such as the enormous expenditure necessary for these re-surveys, as well as the passing of a Parliamentary measure for the purpose of providing means, legal and others, to carry out the scheme. And nothing was done practically, further than affirming beyond doubt and placing upon record the fact that Banks’ Peninsula’s surveys were absolutely wrong and in a state ot inextricable confusion. At the same time the chief surveyor gave instructions that the Peninsula be triangulated, which was very much like locking the stable door after the steed had gone. It appears that during the last fifteen or sixteen years the use of the magnetic needle was allowed by the heads of the Survey Department to be used by surveyors in the field. And, whether this unprecedented and lamentable state of confusion within the particular district referred to, may bo attributed in great part to the common habit hitherto obtaining of falling back entirely upon magnetic observations has often been a subject for remark. The highly magnetised state of some parts of the Peninsula has been frequently observed, but, a few days ago, a case of local magnetic attraction came before the geodesic surveyor, Mr. C. Adams, which may be said to be without parallel. While taking some observations near the summit of the range, not far from Mount Herbert, this gentleman was considerably surprised to discover that, as soon as the needle of his theodolite was let loose, it ran round to the South, and remained fixed to about ISOdeg. from what should have been its proper magnetic position. That is to say, that instead of pointing to the North, the needle of the compass absolutely pointed to the South. This remarkable phenomenon was duly

noted at the time, the position fixed, and the local variations in the vicinity of this extraordinary spot observed and plotted, for transmission to the Government. From what we can gather, none, but instances of magnetic local attraction of a very trifling nature, were ever remarked before on the ranges in question. And it may be safely affirmed that no variation of so singular a nature has ever been discovered in the colony.