C.—l.

WESTLAND. Topographical, &c. —Mr. Wilson was employed for a few days in taking bearings from trigs, on McDonald Range necessary to define certain mountain-features south of Mount Cook. Mr. Smyth also finished some important topographical work in the Otira district very much needed for the completion of the maps about to be published. Mr. Douglas made a rough topographical survey of the agricultural block in the Waitaha Valley which we are about to cut up. He likewise thoroughly explored and mapped a large area of unknown coastal country between the Mikonui and Poerua Rivers, showing varieties and localities of the milling-timbers, the nature of the soils, geological features, and the probable best road-routes, &c. Minor Triangulation and Topographical Survey.—Mr. Wilson completed 2,000 acres on the slopes of Mount Greenland in connection with the determination of the boundaries of the Borough of Ross. Rural and Suburban.—Mr. Wilson finished the ranging of the Ross Borough boundaries. The completion of this and adjoining surveys is a matter of great satisfaction, and fully locates all existing rights, thus enabling the mining surveyors to define bordering claims without any hesitation. Mr. Wilson has also just completed the cutting-up of a block of agricultural land at Karangarua. Mr. Smyth made surveys of several isolated sections in various parts of the district. Gold-mining Surveys. —During the year 3,136 acres (forty-three special claims) have been surveyed by Surveyor Smyth and Licensed Surveyor Macfarlane, being paid the survey-fees deposited by applicants to Receiver of Gold Revenue. Mr. Smyth also completed plans, with longitudinal and cross sections, of the Hokitika and Kokatahi Rivers, involving over sixty miles of levelling. This work was undertaken on behalf of the Mines Department in connection with claims for compensation for the proclamation of these rivers. Road Surveys.—Mr. Wilson completed detailed survey of a proposed deviation of the coast road between the Oinatamatea and Karangarua Rivers. Mr. Smyth finished the surveys of deviations of the coast road at the Galway Bluff, and of the Main South Road in Waitaha Valley, and the section between the Waiho and Cook Rivers. Survey operations all over the district were frequently interrupted, and the cost greatly enhanced, by the season proving exceptionally wet, with heavily flooded rivers. Proposed Operations, 1900-1. —Mr. Wilson will be fully employed in surveys of blocks for settlement in Cook Valley, Lower Waiho, and adjoining districts. Mr. Smyth will cut up block in Waitaha Valley, and lay off sections in the Kokatahi and Taramakau districts. These officers will also make the necessary surveys for road purposes at Mikonui and other places. In view of the early uplifting of the Midland Railway reservation, the services of two additional surveyors will be required to overtake the survey of allotments in the Totara, Wanganui, and Mataroa districts. Mr. Douglas, after the early completion of his topo. survey of the Upper Wanganui basin, will proceed with the much needed delineation of the features of the coastal lands between the Poerua and Okarito Rivers. W. G. Mubbay, Chief Surveyor.

CANTEBBURY. Rural and Suburban. —Including the area carried forward from last year—viz., 5,750 acres—an area of 38,712 acres has been returned as completed. This was surveyed into 105 sections, at a mean cost of o'7s. per acre. Of this area, 16,715 acres comprise the Punaroa, Pareora (No. 2), and Papaka Settlements, acquired under the Land for Settlements Acts, and surveyed respectively by Messrs. Brodrick, McClure, and Mathias; and 101 acres acquired under the same Acts as a homestead site to Small Grazing-run No. 65, which was surveyed by Mr. Brodrick. The balance of the total area is made up of four scattered surveys by Mr. Brodrick, comprising 691 acres; three widely separated surveys by Mr. McClure, in eleven sections, comprising 6,224 acres ; four scattered surveys by Mr. Mathias, comprising 1,441 acres ; and the survey of 13,540 acres by Mr. Murray - Aynsley on contract, this being the Midland Railway Company's Block No. 69, situate on the north side of the Rakaia River, about seven miles from the Gorge Bridge. Town Section Survey.—The only survey executed under this heading was the subdivision of 37-J- acres into forty allotments, ranging in area from half an acre to 2 acres, at a cost of 18'7s. per allotment. The land is situate close to the Ferry Road, about two miles from the centre of Christchurch, and was acquired under the Land for Settlements Acts for workmen's homes, and is known as the Tamai Hamlet. Roads, Railways, and Water-races.—Mr. Brodrick made an engineering survey of six miles of roads on the Waikakahi Settlement, at a cost of £lo2—£l7 per mile; and Mr. McClure made an engineering survey of Mackworth Street, running through the Tamai Hamlet, length 0-43 of a mile, at a cost of £l3 19s. Other Work.—The sum of £470 3s. under this heading is distributed as follows : Mr. Brodrick, £236 16s. Id.; Mr. McClure, £69 10s. 2d.; Mr. Mathias, £l5l 4s. 9d.; and Mr. Murray Aynsley, £l2 12s. Mr. Brodrick prepared contracts for and supervised the construction of 5 miles 71 chains of roadwork at Waikakahi, and arranged and supervised contracts for shelter-cottages and other works on the Pukaki-Mount Cook Road, and examined works in several different parts of the district and prepared reports thereon. Mr. McClure replaced and checked the standard stones between Christchurch and Lyttelton, he inspected a survey of Block XV., Pigeon Bay District, made by Mr. E. Combes, and he surveyed a road-deviation through Section 5, Block XI., Cheviot District, besides making reportson Ashley River protective-works and other matters. Mr. Mathias made a traverse of the stream and valued the sections in the Rautawiri Settlement; took soundings and made an estimate for a jetty at Okain's Bay ; inspected a survey made by Mr. W. D. Wilkins of Block IV., Akaroa; renewed trigonometrical station on Green Hill, near Akaroa ; and prepared

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