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HAWKE'S BAY. Topographical Survey. —The operations under this head comprise the topographical survey necessary for the preparation of the sale maps of Crown lands situated in the Motu, Koranga, and Hikurangi districts, for selection before survey, and the topographical survey of portion of Puketapu and Tongoio districts, the total area surveyed being 114,745 acres, at a cost of T73d. per acre. Of this area 57,680 acres, being ordinary topographical survey, was executed by Mr. Hay, and the balance—viz., 57,065 acres, being survey of Crown lands before selection—by Messrs. Dalziell, Farnie, and Roddick, the country being rough, with heavy forests. Minor Triangulation. —The total returned under this heading is 74,145 acres, at a cost of LoBd. per acre. Mr. F. S. Smith returns 6,095 acres, being breaking-down of the major triangulation in the neighbourhood of Gisborne to govern Land Transfer surveys. Mr. Hay returns 9,300 acres in the Puketapu and Tongoio districts, which completes the triangulation of these districts. Mr. Brook, 7,500 acres Kumeroa Estate, and Mr. Robertson, 51,250 acres Argyll Estate, being the extension of the triangulation over these estates to govern the subdivisional survey. Rural and Suburban. —The total area returned under this heading is 54,469 acres, at a cost of 0-535. an acre. Mr. Hay returns 6,210 acres, 4,758 acres being subdivisional survey of the Forest Gate Estate. 1,444 acres being portion of Mount Vernon Estate, the balance being cemetery and factory sites at Mangatoro and Kumeroa. Mr. Brook, 9,198 acres, being subdivisional survey of Runs 84, 85, and 86, in the Hangaroa district. Mr. Dalziell, 2,000 acres, being survey of Sections 8 and 9, Block X., Motu district, in rough forest country. Mr. Farnie, 2,754 acres, being subdivisional survey for settlement of Crown lands in the Wakarara and Makaretu districts. Mr. J. A. Robertson, by contract, 34,307 acres, being periphery survey of the Milbourne and Te Reinga (Argyll) Estates, which have been subdivided for settlement. Town Sectional Survey. —Only four sections have been surveyed, of an area of 14-27 acres, by Messrs. Hay and Stevenson, being reserves situated in the Town of Napier and the Hatuma Township Reserve. Native Land Court Surveys. —The staff have not made any during this year, but licensed surveyors have surveyed 20,134 acres at the cost of the Native owners, the plans of which have been received and recorded. Road Surveys. —A total of 446 miles have been surveyed at an average cost of £21-29 a mile. Of this Mr. Roddick has surveyed 23J miles in Poverty Bay to open up Crown lands, the balance being deviations and short roads to open up Crown lands surveyed by Messrs. F. S. Smith, T. Brook, P. A. Dalziell, E. H. Farnie, J. Stevenson, and H. M. Smith. The cost has been considerably increased, which must be owing to Mr. Roddick's roads being in rough bush country, and the remainder being short lines of roads where expensive transport, &c, add considerably to the cost. Other Work. —Under this heading is included field inspections, reports on blocks, redefining section boundaries, field-work of which the plans are not completed, the cost of which is carried to next year, and miscellaneous work which cannot be classed under any of the usual headings. Field Inspections. —Owing to the pressure of other work only fourteen field inspections have been made —six by Mr. Hay, and eight by Mr. F. S. Smith. Mr. Smith's inspection included the checking of Mr. Matthews's triangulation in the Mangatu district, which was found to be satisfactory, and generally the inspections have shown that the surveys are being executed in a satisfactory manner. Summary of Year's Operations. —During the year eight survey parties have been employed and two contract surveyors, who have surveyed 114,745 acres of topographical survey, 74,145 acres of minor triangulation, 54,469 acres of rural and suburban, 14J acres of town section survey, and 44f miles of roads. They have also completed a considerable amount of field-work in the various classes, which is not returned, owing to the plans not being completed. (Messrs. F. S. Smith, Hay, and Brook have been employed on the standard survey of the Towns of Gisborne, Dannevirke, and Clyde, a work which was urgently required, and which will be of great service in governing Land Transfer surveys in these towns.) Authorised surveyors have surveyed 20,134 acres of Native lands, being subdivisional surveys as ordered by the Native Land Court, 125 plans of surveys under the Land Transfer Act of an area of 33,992 acres, thirteen miles of road, and fifteen surveys, containing 999 acres, under the Public Works Act, &c, all of which plans have been examined and received. There is a considerable increase generally in the survey-work over that of last year. Proposed Operations for 1903-4. —The work for the coming year will be the survey and reading of Crown lands in the Motu, Hangaroa, Urutawa, Koranga, Ngatapa, and Hikurangi Survey Districts, where Messrs. Roddick, Farnie, Dalziell, and Reay are now employed roading and subdividing, as selected, some 146,000 acres of forest country ; the survey of 8,900 acres, by Mr. Brook, of Crown lands for selection in the Hangaroa district; the completion of the survey of the Argyll Estate by Mr. Hay, who will also be employed in surveying the Crown awards in Mangatoro and Tamaki Blocks ; the subdivisional survey for settlement of the Takapau Estate (Wigan Settlement), by Mr. Grant, on contract; and the survey and subdivision of any estates that may be acquired for settlement. Office-work. —A total of 242 plans have been checked and recorded, and 2,299 plans placed on certificates, leases, and other instruments of title. Of these, thirty-one are Departmental plans of surveys of an area of 69,541 acres, aud twenty-eight road plans of 84£ miles of road survey. Authorised surveyors have deposited 125 plans of Land Transfer surveys of a total area of 33,992 acres, forty Native Land Court surveys of an area of 20,134 acres, and eighteen public works plans of a total area of 1,056 acres. Owing to the press of other work we have not been able to complete