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boundaiy survey of the large Native reserve from Tautuku Peninsula to Longbeach. The boundary survey of the Otago portion will be completed in about one month's time. Gold-mining.—You will see from the area surveyed (2,887 acres) that there has been a boom in mining, and from the number of the applications coming in it is evident that it still continues. It was found that, as the staff surveyors were engaged on settlement surveys, they could not undertake this work. Four private surveyors were engaged under the fee system to survey the various applications. Boads, Baihvays, &c. —Of the 14 miles 8 chains of roads graded, &c, last year 10 miles 28 chains were situated in the Tautuku Bush, and entailed a great deal of heavy bush-cutting. Other Work. —The amount of "other work" is not very heavy this year, the chief items being, reports to the Land Board and Classification Commissioners and attendance on the public by D. M. Calder, supervision of bushfelling and road-works on Waipati Settlement by W. D. B. McCurdie, and the running of subdivisional lines in Block 11., Woodland District, by John Edie. Proposed Operations. —As soon as Mr. Langmuir completes the grading of roads on the Ardgowan Estate, he will proceed to Maruwenua District to lay off a large number of occupation licenses. He will then be available for surveys under the Land for Settlements Act. Mr. Wilmot's absence in the Southland District has caused the work in his district to get behind, and it will take him some months to overtake the mining applications. Mr. Calder has also a large number of mining applications to lay off, and the balance of the Eweburn Buns to subdivide for settlement. Mr. McCurdie will continue the boundary survey of the large Native reserve, and finish Block XII., Tautuku. Mr. Neill will be engaged for some time grading sixteen miles of road from Berwick to Waipori. Mr. Edie will be engaged for some months on the survey of Block XIV., Bimu. A large number of the mining applications will have to be done by the authorised surveyors under the fee system. C. W. Adams, Chief Surveyor.

SOUTHLAND. Minor Triangulation. —Two parties have been engaged on -and have completed areas under this class, the one being country lying to the west of Waiau Eiver, extended from former systems for the purpose of controlling the survey (now in progress) of the block set apart for Middle Island Natives; and the other an extension over the south-eastern portion of Stewart Island, where it was closed upon a former system which was initiated with the primary object of controlling mining surveys made some years ago in the neighbourhood of Port Pegasus ; the immediate object of this extension being to control isolated surveys of land applied for, and also that of a block of some 10,000 acres set apart for Middle Island Natives. Bural and Suburban.- —45,454 acres have been treated under this heading, the greater portion being hilly forest land in Hokonui, Forest Hill, Waikawa, Otara, and Invercargill Districts. Included in this total is the portion of Merrivale Estate acquired under the Land for Settlement Act—about 10,000 acres, principally open and partially-improved land. Gold-mining Surveys. —Seven applications of this class were dealt with on the usual terms of the applicants lodging the survey-fees, the part of this office being confined to inspection and approval. Roads, &c. —The transactions under this class, and apart from settlement surveys, have been slight. Other Work: —This consists of inspecting applications for isolated unsurveyed lands; cost of engineering and supervising co-operative roadworks, and surveys executed in Otago District which it is understood will appear in the returns for that district. Work done for Other Departments. —These include the usual services of the Land Transfer and Labour Departments, also two items for the Stock and Telegraph Departments. Before leaving the subject of the year's work it is necessary to point out that all kinds of outdoor duties were greatly retarded, and consequently the cost greatly increased, by the almost unbroken severity of the weather, which lasted during the entire year, and which is said to have been the worst ever recorded in Southland. Work on Hand, and Future Operations. —About 35,000 acres of forest lands are under survey for settlement purposes, and as there is but a moderate demand for this kind of land the supply is well ahead of requirements, and this has enabled me to dispense with the services of two of the temporary surveyors. A pastoral run containing about 8,000 acres in Nokomai District is to be surveyed and opened under the mining clauses of the Land Act. Three blocks, aggregating about 74,000 acres, situated in Waikawa, Alton, and Lords Eiver Districts, set aside for Middle Island landless Natives, are now under survey, and two of these blocks will probably be completed within the current year. So far as I can see at present, a further reduction of field staff will be necessary within the next few months unless more land is acquired. Office Work. —Forty-eight Land Transfer, eleven road, and forty-six plans of settlement surveys were examined and passed. Eighteen lithographic and 216 ordinary tracings were made; also about sixty maps for Census Enumerators. One district lithographic map was prepared, also one of Southland County on the one-mile scale, showing land-tenure, roads &c, up to date; 282 maps were mounted, and 1,407 diagrams placed on certificates of title, leases, licenses, &c. G. W. Williams, Chief Surveyor.