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19 sheets of Lyttelton tide-gauge registers ; 318 plans placed on Crown grants and otter instruments of title ; 49 certificates recorded on Crown-grant maps ; and the numbering and indexing in the sectionbooks of some 70 miscellaneous survey plans belonging to previous years. The record map of the Culverden Settlement is in an advanced state, and, in addition to the foregoing, a large amount of work was done in making working and miscellaneous tracings, tracings and descriptions for Gazette purposes, and compiling information for other Departments. Urgent necessary work that should be done includes the compilation of a record map of Hanmer, maps of Lyttelton Borough and of Greater Christchurch, and the completion of old and the preparation of new block-sheets. fy Land Transfer Branch. —Mr. Leversedge reports that the work has been less than last]year, which is partly accounted for by the examination of plans of all road-diversion and proclamation plans having been taken over by the Survey Office as from the Ist June last. The plans requiring the approval of His Excellency the Governor as townships are not now copied in the office, the original survey plans being submitted for His Excellency's signature. As there appears to be a considerable decrease in the work coming to us from the Land Transfer Office, I hope to be able shortly to put in hand the work of adding to and renewing the Land Transfer record plans, which have become very worn through the pressure of work during the last few years. Eric C. Gold Smith, Chief Surveyor.

OTAGO. Topographical Surveys.—The total area returned under this head consists of 27,550 acres of runsurveys executed by Mr. D. Innes Barron, being the subdivision, of what is known as the Ormaglade Run into small grazing-runs. The average cost of this work was 3-4 d. per acre. Minor Triangulation.— -Mr. W. T. Neill has completed the field-work of an area of 104,000 acres, being revision of the triangulation in the Otago Peninsula and North Harbour and Blueskin districts ; but, as the plans are not yet completed, the work is not included in this year's returns. Rural and Suburban. —The principal item under this head was the subdivision of an estate acquired during the year under the Land for Settlements Act (the estate is now known as Kauroo Hill Settlement, and is situated near Oamaru). The surveys were executed by Messrs.gD. Innes Barron and J. A. Johnston, and comprised an area of 19,567 acres. Messrs. D. M. Calder and W. T. Neill have been engaged upon the subdivision and roading of the Barewood Run of 30,143 acres. Several small sections were surveyed by Messrs. Barron and Calder in different parts of the district, comprising in all 266 acres, and Mr. S. T. Burton, since he joined the Otago staff, has been engaged upon spotting surveys in various parts of the district, completing an area of 502 acres. The total area returned by the staff is 50,478 acres, at an average cost of o'B7s. per acre. An area of 1,745 acres of sectional work was surveyed for the Department by private surveyors during the year. Town Surveys.— During the year an area of 19 acres 3 roods 10 perches of town survey in the Towns of Waipori and Ranfurly was carried out by Messrs. Barron and Calder. Gold-mining Surveys.— These surveys, with one exception, were undertaken and executed by private surveyors for fees deposited by the applicants, the number of claims surveyed being 22, having an area of 1,293 acres, the cost of the surveys averaging 4-635. per acre. Besides the surveys, several applications for surveyed land were reported on, and the accompanying tracings for the Warden duly checked and certified "to, and vouchers prepared for the Receiver of Gold Revenue in favour of the inspecting surveyor. Land Transfer Surveys.—During the year 81 plans, representing an area of 106,509 acres, were examined, passed, and recorded, and 60 applications to bring land under the Land Transfer Act were dealt with. Eight hundred and eighty 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 35 plans, comprising an area of 65,846 acres,_were received from the staff surveyors, and have all been examined, passed, and recorded. Seven railway-land plans in triplicate and 18 road-plans in duplicate, sent in by private surveyors, have been similarly dealt with. One estate was acquired under the Land for Settlements Act and surveyed during the year, aggregating an area of 19,567 acres. One new Land Transfer map and two Crown-grant record maps were constructed, and three Land Office maps were prepared. Diagrams were drawn on 78 certificates of title, 45 lease-in-perpetuity, 2 occupation licenses with right of purchase, 26 occupation leases, 53 renewable leases, 1 agricultural lease, 1 mining license, 6 Native partitions, 40 small grazing-runs, 8 pastoral licenses, and 154 miscellaneous licenses in duplicate or triplicate, making a total of 1,074 copies ; 213 working-tracings for various purposes ; 355 cloth and paper tracings showing land transactions were supplied to the Land Valuation Department. A plan was prepared for the Police Department, and plans of the following were drawn for photo-lithography: viz., Ohau Lake, Hedgehope, Maruwenua Survey Districts, and Kauroo Hill Settlement. Town of Waikouaiti, Ormaglade and Barewood Runs brought up to date, Silverpeak and Lammerlaw Survey Districts, Block IV Blackstone, Blocks V and VI Glenomaru District were drawn on transfer-paper for lithography and printed in this office. The District Road Surveyor's Office was supplied with maps of electoral districts, showingboundaries of counties, road'districts, and boroughs, &c. The total number of maps printed was 1,009 ; mounted, 1,183 ; and books bound, 35. The work for the ensuing year will be the making of new Crown grant, Land Transfer, county, and road district maps. Many of the county maps have been waiting to be put in hand and brought up to date. Proposed Operations for the Year. —All the surveyors will be fully employed for the year in carrying out the work in hand. This embraces 614,385 acres of small-grazing-run surveys—viz., Crown lands, 172,540 acres ; and National Endowment, 441,845 acres. The Staff.—As referred to in the Lands Report, the staff has been kept extremely busy during the year. All have done their best to keep abreast of the' work, and deserve my thanks for the cheerful and satisfactory performance of their duties. D. Barron, Chief Surveyor.