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MAELBOEOUGH. Triangulation with Topography. —Under this heading 100,000 acres, comprising the Hundalee Survey District, Kaikoura, have been completed by Mr. F. S. Smith, at a cost of l-sd. per acre; and 250,000 acres by Mr. Morgan Carkeek in the Awatere District, at a cost of 06d. per acre, the triangles in the former having sides about three miles, and in the latter about six miles. This leaves about 790,000 acres still in hand by these officers, of which 251,000 acres are complete in the field and partially mapped. In connection with the above, 138 miles of river and fence traverse have been executed by Mr. T. W. Hughes in the Kaikoura District, and 103 miles by Mr. D. W Gillies in the Awatere District, and partially mapped. Mr. C. W. McFarland has completed, at a cost of 15d. per acre, 54,000 acres over the mountainous, heavily-wooded country lying between the Wairau and the head waters of the Wakamarina and Pelorus Bivers. This fills up a large gap of topography hitherto unknown, and should prove valuable in opening up the country to mining pursuits, which give promise of being prosecuted with renewed vigour. I append a copy of a report from the District Surveyor upon the close of the Marlborough triangulation extended from the Kaikoura base-line on to the Nelson work—which was extended from the Hanmer Plains base-line—from which it appears that, taking a mean of five common sides, the Hamner Plains work is 1-312 links per mile too short, or the Kaikoura work is too long. In other words, either the Hanmer Plains standard is too long or the Kaikoura one is too short. Further, to quote the District Surveyor,—" The closes of the western triangulation on the Hanmer Plains makes the latter work too long by o'9B link per mile, or the standard too short. These closes being in different terms, it follows that the close between the western bases and Kaikoura is their sum —(1-312 + 098) —or Kaikoura base is 229 links per mile too long or its standard too short." But, since the Spring Creek and Kaikoura bases agree very well with each other and with the Wellington work, there is no reason to suppose that our standard is at fault. Minor Triangulation. —To govern some sectional survey at the head of Kenepuru Sound Mr. A. Simpson broke down over an area of 13,500 acres at a cost of l-6d. per acre. The country is high and heavily wooded. Topographical, for Selection. —Nothing was done under this heading. Rural and Suburban. —An area of 44,669 acres was surveyed into 110 sections, at a mean cost of 10d. per acre. This comparatively low cost is accounted for by the fact that an area of 24,978 acres is open country, the remainder being rough and heavily wooded and adjoining old surveys. Native Land Court Survey. —The total area surveyed was 8,767 acres, in 17 sections. These are all old Native reserves which about five years ago were brought before the Native Land Court, and are now being surveyed prior to the indorsement of the plans upon the "orders." Of the above area 467 acres comprise Reserve N, situate on the coast near the Amuri Bluff; the remainder are all situate on the shores of Queen Charlotte Sound. Gold-mining Survey. —No surveys have been made during the year; but a revision survey of some old claims above Deep Creek, Wakamarina, has been asked for by the Warden and authorised. It will be undertaken by Mr. McFarland very soon. Roads. —lof miles were surveyed, at a mean cost of £12-77 per mile. Other Work. —Of the sum of £129 Bs. 10d. set down under this heading, £54 Is. 6d. was the cost of making an engineering survey of part of the Kaikoura-Waiau Eoad for the Kaikoura County Council. £32 17s. 4d. was the amount of Mr. Gillies's salary while he was employed in the office during the winter. The balance is made up of inspections and reports, Kaikoura, and of roadexplorations and revision of boundaries in the Sounds. Field Inspection, &c. —l was absent from the office for thirty-three days at different periods. About half the time I was travelling through the district with Mr. McKerrow, inspecting the Hawkesbury, Starborough, Middlehirst, and Swyncombe Estates, offered to the Government under the Land for Settlements Act; also inspecting other blocks which had been applied for under the purchasing clause of " The Marlborough Waste Land Act, 1867." Whilst at Kaikoura I visited 'the District Surveyor. I have also inspected a few small surveys, and the bridle-track lately formed to the head of Port Underwood. Work for Next Year. —Next year promises to be an unusually busy one. The principal work will be the completion of the topographical surveys and maps of the country occupied by the expiring leaseholds, the majority of which have been extended to the 28th of February next. This will not afford us any too much time to get the maps out, the country reclassified and reoffered by January next, at which date, at the latest, the sales should take place. The subdivision of the Kahautara and Greenhills Euns, prior to their being thrown open for settlement, will doubtless be commenced. In connection with this, an engineering survey of what may be termed part of the Cheviot-Kaikoura Eoad is being made, and within the year it should be completed between the Conway and Kahautara Eivers. The survey of several applications under the Mining Districts Land Occupation Act, situate in the Wakamarina Valley, is nearly completed, and a plan will shortly be prepared for Parliament with the object of having the land removed from the State forest. The survey of the majority of the Native reserves referred to in last year's report has been completed, and only two or three remain now to be dealt with. I hope, therefore, before long to have the plans indorsed on the orders, and this long-standing liability disposed of. In addition to the above there will be the usual scattered settlement surveys about the Sounds, and probably the survey of the Picton-Grove Eoad. I am glad to be able to report that, owing to the recent addition to our office staff, one officer can be kept constantly at work at our record maps. Sidney Wektman, Chief Surveyor.