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Accounts. —The number of vouchers passed through the books during the year amounted to 2,154, representing an expenditure of £44,259 ss. 3d. On the Chief Draughtsman's ImprestfAccount 974 vouchers requiring payment were made by 1,549 cheques, totalling £12,700, and the amount imprested by the Paymaster-General wa.s £12,700. Accountant, 345 vouchers, 540 cheques, £4,770 14s. lid.; the amount imprested by the Paymaster-General was £5,000. Official Account, 729 cheques, £10,868 14s. Bd. On Commissioner's imprest, 14 vouchers, 18 cheques, amount £1,616 10s. 7d., and amount imprested, £1,701. Conclusion. —l have much pleasure in tendering to the field and office staffs of the Survey Branch my thanks and appreciation of their ungrudging assistance in carrying on the work at all times and under all circumstances. John Strauchon, Chief Surveyor.

HAWKE'S BAY. Minor Triangulation. —The only work of this class returned this year is an area of 9,580 acres, executed by Mr. Thomas Brook, District Surveyor, in connection with his survey of the settlement lands in the Piripiri Block, near Dannevirke. Standard Surveys. —There has been no work carried out of this nature, but preliminary action has been approved for the establishment of a 5-chain standard at Gisborne, and the District Surveyor has authority to carry out the work. It is proposed to lay a similar one down at Napier at an early date. Rural and Suburban. —Under this head there are 11,446 acres, divided into 93 sections, at an average cost of 2-355. per acre, in addition to which the field-work has been completed of 32,672 acres, but the plans have not yet been handed in. Of this Mr. Cagney carried out the subdivisional survey of the Crown portion of the Waimarama Block, with . a total area of 10,000 acres, and Mr. Farnie surveyed 11,623 acres of Crown lands in the Waipaoa Block. Mr. Roddick has nearly finished some 13,000 acres out of Pastoral Run No. 47, Ngatapa District, which is to be offered for selection under the optional system. Native Land Surveys. —These comprise 35,605 acres, divided into 57 lots, and the cost averages 8-72 d. per acre. Of this area Messrs. Wilson, Walshe, and Cagney return 30,162 acres, which represents the Waipuka, Okaihau, and Waimarama Blocks ; the balance of 5,443 acres was surveyed by Messrs. H. Baker and W. O'Ryan (licensed surveyors), and represents areas at Pukekura (Hawke's Bay) and Tapuwaeroa (Poverty Bay) respectively. Mr. T. W. Hughes has nearly completed the survey of subdivisions of the Mohaka Blocks, embracing a total area of 24,726 acres. Road Surveys. —Some 34 miles of roads have been laid off by Messrs. Brook, Wilson, Walshe, and Roddick respectively, at an average cost of £12-97 per mile. Other Work. —This comprises miscellaneous surveys and inspections. Inspections. —District Surveyor T. N. Brodrick has made 10 field inspections of various private surveyors' work ; and District Surveyor Brook has made 1 ; the reports of which were of a satisfactory character. Proposed Operations, 1909-10.—The following surveys are in progress : viz., 4,400 acres in the Tamaki Block, by Mr. Brook ; 13,000 acres (part of Pastoral Run No. 47, Ngatapa Survey District), by Mr. Roddick; 7,750 acres in the Tutamoe District, by Mr. Farnie ; and 8,400 acres (withdrawn from the Ruahine Forest Reserve), by Mr. L. W. Ward. In addition, there will probably be the subdivision of country recently held under Pastoral Licenses Nos. 13 and 14, Kaweka and Pohui Survey Districts, with an area of some 35,000 acres, in connection with which about 2,700 acres of freehold lands adjacent have to be defined in order to give titles thereto. Office-work. —Mr. H. G. Price, the Chief Draughtsman, reports as follows : " During the year 353 plans have been examined and approved, representing an area of 217,089 acres. These, divided up in their several classes, are as follow : Land Transfer, 209 plans, 1,200 lots, with an area of 78,274 acres ; 50 Native Land Court plans, 246 lots, with an area of 101,172 acres ; 68 Public Works plans, 239 lots, with an area of 916 acres ; 19 departmental plans, 66 lots, with an area of 36,528 acres ; and 7 road plans, with an area of 199 acres. In addition to the above, 574 instruments of title, such as transfers, leases, mortgages, have been examined and reported on, and 470 tracings were prepared for settlers, local bodies, surveyors, &c. The Native Land Court plans of the Waimarama Block, 44 subdivisions, comprising over 30,000 acres, and tracings of same, were also prepared and completed by the office staff—the calculations and adjustments of areas in connection therewith entailing a considerable amount of work. Several new record plans and block-sheets have been made, and old ones brought up to date ; tracings have been prepared for photo-lithography of Hastings and Waipawa Boroughs and Waipukurau Town District, besides afnumber of others for sale-posters ;] 180 plans have" been mounted and prepared." In conclusion, as I am myself retiring from the position of Chief Surveyor, I desire to place on record my sincere thanks to all the officers of the Department I have been associated with for the ready and valuable assistance they have at all times rendered me, and in parting with them I desire to wish them one and all every success in their future careers. Henry Trent, Chief Surveyor.

TARANAKI. The gross area surveyed during the year under the various headings represents a total of 72,133 acres, together with 16-53 miles of'road and railway and 48-55 miles of boundary survey. Minor Triangulation. —An area of 43,000 acres has been triangulated, and plans completed of same, by Messrs. Laing, in the Tangitu, Taurakawa, and Momohaki Districts, at an average cost of l-4d. per acre.