SURVEYOR GENERAL'S REPORT

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2320, 10 September 1881, Page 3

SURVEYOR GENERAL'S REPORT

[By Telegraph.l [from tub own correspondent of ter “ PRESS.”] WELLINGTON, f eptsmber 9, The Surveyor-General's report on the survey of New Zealand was presented to Parliament to night. The following is the summary of the work done; —Major trinngulation, 1,087,086 acres ; minor triangnlation without topography, 822,996 acres; minor triangnlation, with topography, 2,789,109 acres ; rural and suburban section surveys, 474,991 acres ; town section surveys, 2H58 allotments; Native Land Court surveys, 94.441 acres ; Native land purchase, 710,737 acres ; gold mining surveys, 1005 acres; road surveys, 607-1 miles. The rest of the report is mainly of a technical nature, but the following interesting notes are appended as to correct height of Mount Cooe being at last ascertained. ” The Westland triangnlation has extended down the coast past Mount Cook, and observations to the summit peak were taken by Mr Roberts from twenty-four trigononometrical stations at distances varying from twenty to seventy miles._ The observations from eighteen of these stations have been computed by Mr Mueller, and the height of Mount Cook above the mean sea level is found to be 12,349 feet. This is the mean of all the computations, and no single observation differs more than sft from the height given. The other observations have yet to he computed, but they are not likely to affect the result more than a foot, if so much. The height of Mount Cook hitherto accepted has been 13,200 ft, as given by the Admiralty surveyor, or 851 ft higher than the determination of the trigonometrical survey. There can be no doubt that the Admiralty determination gives too great a height to the monarch peak of New Zealand mountains. For the future the height will have to be taken as nearly 1000 ft less than what all the published maps give it.” In reference to settlement surveys, Mr McKorrow says :—“Under this head are classed rural, suburban, and town surveys. During the year 4932 sections of rural and suburban land, comprising 474,991 acres, have been surveyed, and 1409 acres of town lands into 2658 sections. Of the rural and suburban, 184.000 acres were arrear surveys of Crown lands, which had been brought; in years previous. The department has been laboringjnnder the disadvantage of to dispose of a large accumulation of back work. There still remained for disposal 254,000 acres on the Ist July last.” Regarding future operations the Snr-veyor-Geueral says ;—“ The season begins with 600.000 acres of settlement survey, of which 281.000 are arrear surveys, and 319,000 acres preparatory to being offered for selection and sale. The requisitions for survey from the Native Land Court and Native land purchase, aggregate a total area of 1,000,000 acres of trigonometrical and topographical survey. There is on hand, or about to be, an aggregate area of 2.052,480 acres.” “ '