OUR SURVEYS.

Patea Mail, Volume II, Issue 164, 4 November 1876, Page 2

OUR SURVEYS.

(to tue editor of the patea Vail.) Sin,—l have often heard it remarked, that one groat advantage in buying land in the Patea district was, that there was no difficulty in rospo’cl Id the surveys. lam aware of the fact that in the Wellington Province, there are settlers who have been living on land for nearly, or quite tlm last twenty years, and up to the last year or two, ([ am not sure tiiat it is not so at the present time) they were not certain whether their houses were on their own laud or not. Now for my own part, I am not certain which is the best or worst, that land should be still unsr.rveycd or incorrectly surveyed. By “ incorrectly” I mean that you may have lines given as correct by one surveyor which another suryeyor may pronounce to be otherwise. It is quite probable this may bo criticised as I am aware that the surveyors in this district arc generally considered to bo in a favorable condition. But at tbc same time thci'o has been sufficient cases come under my observation to justify my doubts on the accuracy of the surveys of the district. In the first place I know of a lino which has been surveyed and re-surveyed by three or four different surveyors and at the last the plan has to be altered to suit the line instead of the line to accord with the plan. Then again many of your readers will doubtless remember a case recently heard in the H.M., Court, in which a survey line had tiie opportunity of deciding the case, well, a Government surveyor had newly surveyed the line (and doubtless received a foe for it), which survey would have proved the plaintiff’s case, but lo ; when it came to the point the surveyor admitted he could not swear his survey was correct, thus creating a doubt to the advantage of defendant. More recently still I find another considerable error, one of our road lines of some length is shown on the Government plan as a straight lino, but on being re-surveyed it cannot be made to accord with other lines, when on reference to old field books, behold! ail wujle is found. Now sir, if it could be shown that these arc only cases which arc not quite satisfactory- or on which any doubt can exist, I should be exceedingly well satis tied, but as throe eases have come under my humble observation, I am much afraid there are many others which will come to light at some future time causing a large amount of trouble and expense, then I would like to know who is responsible in such a case. It is to obviate these difficulties that I have taken the trouble to draw public attention to these matters. I shall not make the usual apology for thus troubling you Mr Editor, as I consider the circninstances fully justifies me in thus bringing the matter forward. Hoping that these few lines may not pass without having some good effect. —I am &c., OBSERVER.