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OTAGO. Topographical Surveys.- The total area returned under this heading is 06,521 awes, and includes the subdivision by Messrs. Barren and Walshe of the runs resumed by the Department when taking over the Otekaike Estate into six small grazing-r un» j also the subdivision by Mi. Macpherson of 24,400 acres in Lee Stream district into six small grazing-runs. All roads and boundaries in this latter survey wore traversed as in ordinary section-work. The average cost of survey was 2"29 d. per acre. Rural and Suburban. —The principal items under this head were the subdivision of the estates acquired during the year under the Lands for Settlement Act, and include the Airedale and Otekaike Estates, in North Otago; the Meadowbank Estate, near Palmerston; and the Ashley Downs Estate (now known as Taumata Settlement), in South Otago. The surveys were executed by Messrs. Calder, Barron, Walshe, and McFarland. The other items were subdivision by District Surveyor Calder of about 5,000 acres in Blackstone district, and a settlement block in Blackstone and St. Bathan's districts surveyed by Mr. McFarland. Surveys were also made of several small isolated sections scattered over the district. The total area returned is 37,326 acres, divided into 184 sections, at a cost of 131s. per acre. Town Surveys. —During the year 16 sections in the Towns of Havelock, Pounawea, North-east Valley, and Ettrick were surveyed. The area was only acres, and the average cost £3 Is. 7d. per section. (Jold-mininy Surveys. —These surveys were all undertaken and executed by private surveyors fur fees deposited by the applicants, the number of claims surveyed being 44, having an area ot 1,*40 acres. The fees paid amounted to £372 9s. 6d., which makes the cost 4055. per acre. In addition to these surveys, fees were passed for various inspections and reports to the several Wardens for surveyed ground reapplied for. Roads and Water-races.— Under this head 30| miles is returned. It includes retraversing and repegging 3£ miles of road on Totara Settlement, widened from J to 1 chain wide; 20 chains new road, Tautuku district; levelling 15 miles and traversing 6 miles of water-race in Otekaike Settlement; also survey of 2£ miles of road to give access to runs in Lee Stream district; and survey of 3£ miles of road in Teviot and Cairnhill districts. The average cost was £7 19s. per mile. Other work. —The total amount charged under this head is £130 6s. 2d., made up as follows : £56 19s. charged by District Surveyor Calder for measuring base line in Moeraki district; making small road survey; and Naseby office expenses, £13 12s. (Jd., by District Surveyor Neill, for officework, inspections, and base-line measurement: £18 by District Surveyor Barron, for inspection and reports; and £11 14s. Bd. by Mr. Mackenzie, for survey work in Kawarau and Lorn districts. Land Transfer Surveys. —During the year 71 plans, containing an area of 31,155 acres, were examined, passed, and recorded; and 51 applications to bring land under the Land Transfer Act were dealt with; 781 certificates of title in duplicate were prepared, in addition to checking all dealings affecting portions of land in titles and Proclamations, &c. Office-work. —During the past year 48 plans, comprising an area of 93,848 acres, were received from the staff surveyors, and have all been examined, passed, and recorded; 13 railway land plans in triplicate and 22 road plans in duplicate sent in by private surveyors have been similarly dealt with. Four estates were acquired during the year, aggregating an area of 50,528 acres. This necessitated a considerable amount of work on the part of the draughting staff in the preparation of tracings of all existing survey data for the use of the surveyors when subdividing these areas. In order to facilitate and insure the early completion of the subdivisions of these estates it became necessary to detail three of the draughtsmen off at different times to assist the surveyors with the preparation of their plans and computation of areas, Ac Boundary plans of the four estates above noted were prepared in duplicate. Two new Land Transfer record-maps were constructed, and 8 Land Office maps were prepared. Duplicate maps were made showing the proposed standard survey of (Greater Dunedin. It is proposed to proceed with this survey immediately the services of Mr. District Surveyor Neill become available. The sides and co-ordinates of Moeraki district triangulations have been corrected in accordance «itli new check base-line measured by Messrs. District Surveyors Calder and Neill, to test the accuracy of Meadowbank Settlement subdivision. Duplicate maps were prepared showing all Crown land tenures, also two similar maps showing endowment lands. The Dunedin Registrar of Electors' Office was supplied with mounted lithographs on a scale of 5 chains to an inch, with the boundaries of the five electoral districts covering Dunediu and suburbs coloured thereon. A set of maps, lithographs, and tracings were prepared showing that portion of Southland Education District overlapping Otago Land District, also a general map of the same on the mile scale. A map on a scale of 8 miles to an inch was made showing boundaries of the Olago Mining District. Diagrams wore drawn on 92 certificates in lieu of grants, 1 Crown grant, 1 cash certificate, 110 leases in perpetuity, 17 occupations with the right of purchase, 29 small grazing-runs, 21 pastoral licenses, 21 occupation leases. 40 agricultural leases, and 53 miscellaneous licenses in duplicate or triplicate, making a total of 009 copies: 471 tracings showing land transactions weie supplied to the Valuation Department. Plans of the following were drawn for photo-lithography, viz. : Airedale, Otekaike, Taumata, and Meadowbank Settlements; Blackstone Settlement and subdivision of Moeraki Native Reserve were drawn on transfer paper for lithography and printed in this office. The total number of copies of different kinds printed was 610: number of- maps mounted, 766; books bound, 14. Proposed Operations for the Tear. —It will be seen from Table 2 that all the surveyors will be fully employed for the year in carrying out the work in hand. This embraces upwards of 60,000 acres of settlement surveys and 110 square miles of revised triangulation work. It is also