C—la

APPENDICES.

APPENDIX I.—SURVEYS.

AUCKLAND. The gross area of all classes of surveys completed this year was 225,729 acres, together with 81 miles of roads. Minor Triangulation. —Mr. Wheeler completed 94,000 acres in the Bay of Islands County, the work being necessary for the subdivision of the Motatau No. 2 Block for the Tokerau Maori Land Board. Rural and Suburban. —The surveys of 92,243 acres were completed during the year, the principal items being 20,981 acres by Mr. J. B. Thompson, of Te Akau Block, and the completion of the surveys of Settlement; 18,870 acres by Mr. A. G. Allom, of Waiawa Block, Opotiki County ; 13,529 acres by Mr. P. W. Barlow, of Tahora Block, Opotiki County ; and 11,292 acres by Mr. A. L. Foster, of Tautari Settlement (contract survey), West Taupo County. Native Land Court Surveys. —The total area surveyed during the year was 131,320 acres, subdivided into 193 subdivisions. Of this area, 36,030 acres were surveyed by' staff surveyors, including 34,855 acres by Mr. W. J. Wheeler for the Tokerau Maori Land Board for leasing. The survey of this block (Motatau No. 2 Block) was discontinued under instructions from Head Office, and the Tokerau Maori Land Board are now completing the work by contract. Standard Survey. —Mr. J. Langmuir, assisted by Mr. H. M. Kensington, completed the field-work of the Standard Survey of the City of Auckland, and part of the Borough of Devonport. Mr. H. M. Kensington is at present engaged on the standard survey of Rotorua Town. Mr. J. B. Thompson has also completed in the field a considerable portion of the standard survey of the Borough of Hamilton. Other Work. —Under this heading many and various duties are included distinct from the actual cost of subdivisional surveys, comprising small surveys for school and cemetery sites, &c, renewing trig, points and standard blocks, reports on grass-seed areas, valuation reports, defining old boundaries, road-deviations, reports on drainage, &c. Inspection of Surveys. —Mr. J. Langmuir made 4 inspections, Mr. W. J. Wheeler made 20 inspections, Mr. H. D. M. Haszard made 16 inspections, and. Mr. R. S. Galbraith made 14 inspections. Some of the surveys inspected were fully up to the required standard, but I regret to say that in some cases the work inspected proved to be very unsatisfactory. Land Transfer.—3Bo plans were received, and 334 were examined and approved, comprising an area of 107,765 acres. 109 plans were recorded ; but there are still 630 plans approved but not recorded. Mr. H. D. McKellar has been appointed as Land Transfer Draughtsman vice Mr. J. R. Vaile transferred. There were 2,889 plans indorsed on leases and Native Land Court orders, and 2,220 plans were indorsed on certificates of title. Proposed Operations. —The field operations will comprise about 102,602 acres of ordinary ruralsettlement work, and in addition to that area there is 19,513 acres being surveyed for the Tokerau Maori Land Board, and about 40,000 acres of Native land near Rotorua which is being surveyed to carry out the recommendations of the Native Land Commission. The localities of the various largerareas in the above total are as follow : 7,316 acres, Puniu Survey District; 3,600 acres, Pirongia and Kawhia South Survey Districts ; 20,000 acres, Urutawa Survey District; 6,335 acres, Waoku and Hokianga ; 3,000 acres, Rotoiti and Rotorua ; 4,480 acres, Rotorua ; 2,000 acres, Takahue ; 5.500 acres, Hukerenui ; 3,000 acres, Mangaorongo ; 12,000 acres, Waihi South (to be opened as " unsurveyed "). Office-work. —Examination of plans : During the year 379 plans were examined and passed, covering an area of 247,357 acres, in 715 sections. These include 73 settlement plans, of 151,184 acres, in 392 sections; 60 Native Land Court plans, of 91,133 acres, in 164 subdivisions; 72 gold-mining plans, of 4,998 acres ; 44 plans of residence and business sites, of 42 acres, in 87 sections ; 130 plans of roads (taken and closed). Railways and reserves were examined and passed, having a length of 66 miles of roads taken, 21J miles of roads closed, and 45J miles of railway. 1,374 tracings were made for posters, surveyors, settlers, and others. The total number of plans of all classes of surveys, including Land Transfer, which have been examined and passed is 713, comprising 355,122 acres, 87| miles of roads, and 45| miles of railways. Five Native Land Courts were attended, £351 ss. collected on 40 blocks for survey charges, and 3,990 acres 3 roods 24 perches has been awarded to the Crown in satisfaction of survey liens amounting to £1,080 lis., in 34 blocks. 159 applications.for authority to survey Native blocks were forwarded to Head Office, and 151 authorities were issued. Three examinations for " surveyors' unlicensed assistants " were held ; 17 candidates passed, and 4 others also qualified, as they had partially passed the Licensed Surveyors' Examination. Authority has been given to 19 licensed surveyors to employ assistants. 203 chain lengths of steel measuring-bands were tested by Mr. T.-K. Thompson for various surveyors and instrument-makers. There were 15 applications made to Head Office for Government loans of a total amount of £16,493, over an area of 54,544 acres.

6