ANNUAL REPORT WELLINGTON SURVEY DISTRICT.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1835, 10 November 1884, Page 2

ANNUAL REPORT WELLINGTON SURVEY DISTRICT.

Triangulation.—Several membars of the staff were employed in extending tbe trigonometrical surveys over back country, in accordance with your general instructions. Mr Lllewelyn Smith performed this duty in the North-West Wairarnpa district, from the summit of the Tararua Ranges to the Tiraumea River, and has thus prepared the way for settlement surveys in an excellent class of country. Mr J. 1). Cliinie succeeded in covering and mapping nearly a quarter of a million of acres, completing our knowledge of the country at the sourcs of the Wainuiomata, flutt, Tauhereuikau, and Waihoine Rivers, The other officers who materially aided to advance this important class of survey—the Messrs John ami Joseph R, Annabell—carried it over the distrijts lying inland of the Waitotara coast settlement. The out-turn of work is up to the average area, and has been accomplished at a low cost, the country operated upon .being generally of a broken and inaccesaible character, rendered intricate and costly to work in: by the dense forest growth. A comparison of the duplicate values of .common side's of 49 closures made during tho : year .gives a mean discrepancy in distance of H link per' mile, the greatest difference being 2-9 links per mile, and the leaßt O'O link per inilo. The moan error in the summation of the angles of the triangulation executed during the year is 13", the greatest being 48", and the least 0". The comparison between the meridians ot Mount Cook and Opaki initial points obtained through the minor triangulation gives a mean convergence of 34' 53", the computed convergence is 34' 22", the greatest difference between the computed and observed convergence being 39" and the least 19".

Settlement Surveys„-The small area sectionized was due to thero being insufficient funds devoted to road construction, it being considered inadvisable to cany on the sectional pegging in advance of the clearing and forming of the road lines.. Large areas in the Wanganui, Manawatu, Makuri, and Kaiwhata distriofcs were explored, and roads laid off and graded. Twenty miles of lines were levelled over and plans and specifications prepared in a complete mannor by Mr A. Dundas. Messrs Northcroft and Ashcroft are credited with the bulk of the area actually pegged off; the former's survey comprised the hills between the Kopuaranga and Wangaehu Rivers, North of Mr Stuckey's estate; and that of Mr Ashcroft included the Paratieke and Kurewarewa Blocks, in the Mangawhero district. The whole area is covered with .bush. As a rule the back pegs of sections were inserted. The low cost of Mr Ashcroft's work is worthy of note, A full comparison of traverse circuit and trig, check closures have been scheduled,.for your information, which will be f'oitnd to indiaate the requisite attention to precision, having regard to expedition and economy.

Native Land Court Suryeys.—ln explanation of the limited area defined, account must be taken of the operations of tstmkjfm ffMdj eaabjad ttie

Native Land Courts to determine th ownership of the tribal lands throughout and adjacent to the settled districts in this part of the North Island. The larger claims were defined by J. A. Thorpe,-authorised surveyor, being the Mnrimotu, Ngarukehii, and Te Kapua Blocks. Messrs Llewelhv Smith; John Annabell, and Ashcroft surveyed the Taumatakaibuka, Waipuna, and Otaraoa Blocks, The remaining unsnrveyed Native lands include the great centralterritory between the Wanganui River and the Rhuahine Ranges, and a few tracts in the Wairarapa District.

Road and Railway line Surveys.— You will observe that the mileage of these important surveys exceeds that of any previous year; credit has been taken for Mr J. A. Robertson's work in the Chatham Islands, which amounts to ninety-two miles. -Messrs Annabel), Sicely, and Tone were the chief contributors to the total.

Miscellaneous Surveys.—The amount expended *in compliance with the demands of public departments, County Councils, and Road Boards amounted to £3,747. You are fully conversant with the practical utility and importance of the services: thus rendered by this office.

•Office,-Mr Mackenzie, the Chief Draughtsman, and the office staff made such headway with the arrears of mapping that, after attending to. the ordinary routine duties of recording, reducing, and'compiling the plans received from the field officers, some time was devoted to preparing maps for publication. Plans of several of the survey districts from Wanganui were finished, the standard plan of Marton was published, and an excellent map of the Tuhirangi and Upper Wanganui districts was constructed. The land transfer branch, under Mr Mason's charge, had a reduced amount of work to attend to, due no doubt to the general depression; but what had to be done was efficiently performed. The correspondence and accounts were lunaged by Mr Wright in a satisfactory manner: exclusive of enclosures, ordinary returns &c, the number of lotters received and despatched amouuted to 4,183; in addition, much of the Land Office business devolved upon, him, and was well and promptly attended to and kept under by working overtime.

Inspection.—ln the course of my visits to tho field I found that the surveyors were conforming closely to tho principles of survey set forth in the regulation, and that they worked with evident zeal, care, and ability, with a close attention to thoroughness and completeness in, every detail, Several members of the staff, including Mr Dundas, gave me valuable assistance in inspecting the work of authorised surveyors. Proposed operations for 1884-85. Subject to your approval it is proposed to extend triangulation and topographical surveys inland to Wanganui, Otairi, and Otamakapua on the West Coast, through the agency of Messrs Dundas and Annabell; and in the Porirua, Maungaraki, Kaiwhata, and Makari districts by- utilizing the services of Messrs J. D. Climie, Grevillo, andCrotubie; it is also intended to obtain data (or completing topographical plans of the settled districts near Wanganui, Porirua, aud Mastertou. It is proposed, with regard to settlement surveys, to employ Mr John Annabel! on West Tokomaru; .Mr - A shcroft on Otairi; Mr Dundas on Waitapu; Mr Greville on the Makuri- - Puketoi Block;. Mr Llewellyn Smith on the Crown lands between Mangaone Block and Mauriceville, and with assistance, upon sectionizing the Alfredton Education Reserve, the Wangaehu-Rangitumau Block, and the hills west of Masterton and Carterton. Mr E. Climie will cut up any suitable lands west of Greytown and Featherston which would be likely to be occupied if put up to competition; Mr Crombie. will continue the subdivision of the Kaiwhata and Waiuuioru Crown landß; which surveys are already well advanced, The' completion • of these settlement surveys depends upon the appropriation and prompt expenditure of funds in road construction, and in some instances upon the location, of the railway .-lines. Mem Smith and Olimw have-also-to qjit-and • peg -some back' lines; for "settlere-.in tho Kopiiaranga ; and jW garoa>Blocks.V Townships or village settlements will have to be laid off sooner, or lator at Pahiatua, Makuri, Otairi, and iu tho Upper Pohang'ma district. It is probable that Mesßt-s Dundas, Lewellyn - Smith, Climie, Anuabell.and'Crombiewill. be. called upon to defiuo'Native laud claims in the Waitotara, Upper Rangitikei, Taueru, Kaiwhata, and South-east Wairarapa districts, Standard surveys of Palmerston North and Masterton suburbs have to be completed, important lines of traffic have to be surveyed, and lines of road have to be laid off and legalized in various localities by the surveyors in charge of the districts, as empowered by warrauts which have been issued to them. The usual amount of miscellaneous surveys must be anticipated on requisitions from the Public Works, Native Land Purchase, and Education Departments. J, W, A, Mabchant, Chief Surveyor.