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Land Transfer Branch. —Mr. Leversedge reports that 324 survey plans have been examined and passed, in addition to the deeds and certificates of title as shown in tabulated statement. This number is slightly less than in the previous year, but represents a very considerable area, owing to the subdivision of several large estates in the vicinity of Timaru and other parts of Canterbury. The work of adding to and renewing the Land Transfer record plans is now very urgent, and I projiose putting this in hand as early as possible. In conclusion, I would beg to tender my thanks to both the field and office staff for their active co-operation in carrying out the duties pertaining to this branch of the Department. H. I). M. Haszard, Acting Chief Surveyor.

OTAGO. Minor Triangulation. —The plan showing a revision of the triangulation in the District of Otago Peninsula, and that of North Harbour and Blueskin (the field-work of which was finished last year), comprising 104,000 acres, was completed during the year. There are other districts also where revision is necessary. Rural and Suburban. — Four staff surveyors, one temporary surveyor, and three unlicensed assistants were engaged in the work of subdividing six large pastoral runs into small grazing-runs and small sections: total area, 681,000 acres. The field-work was completed and plotted to enable tie sale plans to be prepared, so that the land could be opened for selection before the Ist March, 1910 ; but, as the working-plans are not finished, the work cannot appear in Table 1, there being no column in that table for " unfinished work." The surveys completed in the field are as follows :D. I. Barron and Y. Booker, Morvan Hills, 243,000 acres ; S. T. Burton, Kawarau Run, 234,000 acres ; D. I. Barron, Northburn Run, 12,000 acres : W. T. Neill, Matakanui Run, 54,000 acres : W. T. Neill, Ida Valley Run, 72,(KM) acres ; D. M. (aider. Linnburn Run. 66,000 acres : total, 681,000 acres. The surveys of Ma I a kan v i Settlement, of 1,177 acres, and of several small areas, were completed. Twenty-one sections, with a total area of 614 acres, were surveyed by private surveyors for survey fees deposited by applicants. Town Surreys. Six plans of new tow ns surveyed by private surveyors were examined and approved by His Excellency the Governor. Roads, Railways, <(■'-. These surveys were all executed by private surveyors, and details are given under the heading " Office-work." Minimi Sumys. These surveys were iill executed by private surveyors for fees paid by the applicants, the number of sections surveyed being 12. and the area 1.703 acres. Lund Transfer Surmys. Fifty three plans, representing an area of 7.211 acres, were examined, approved, and recorded. Table No. I shows other work under this heading. Proposed Operations for the Year. The work at present in view comprises the cutting-up of aboui 120,000 acres, at present under pastoral leases, into small grazing-runs and pastoral runs: the subdivision of the areas reserved as settlemenl blocks on Morven Hills,and Kawarau tuns, and some small surveys and inspections which must be done by the stall surveyors. This will occupy the surveyors now at work t ill called in for ihe winter, w hen I hey will complete the mapping of the run subdivisions referred to under the heading " Rural and Suburban." In the early summer, should the matter be arranged with the Municipal Council, District Surveyor Neill will be put on the Standard Survey of Dunedin, a much needed work. Another work urgently required is the revision of the measurements of several baselines, and the readjustment of the triangulations based thereon. In addition to thi above, it is probable thai there will be an a< quired estate to be subdivided, so that ample work will be found to keep) the present staff of surveyors employed for tin suing yen. f)ffice-work. —Altogether 162 plans were examined, approved, and recorded, the majority being in duplicate, and some in t riplicate. Of these, 10 were road plans, li railway plans, and 22 plans of ('row a lands executed by private surveyors. Other work appears on Tables 3 and 5. The principal work of the year has been in connection with the survey of 681,000 acres of Crown lands, as detailed above, under the heading of " Rural and Suburban." Two draughtsmen were, sent from the office staff to assist the field surveyors to plot the work, so that the sale plans could be completed in time to place t Inland in the market before the Ist March. Altogether 63 sale plans were drawn during the year, some very large, also 2 tracings of Papakaio and Kauroo Districts for photo-lithography. Many lithographs of towns and districts are required, and an effort will be made to have some drawn during next year. Three new county maps were made of Waihemo, Tuapeka, and Waikouaiti, and 360 tracings prepared for the Valuation Department. In the lithograph room 538 forms were printed, 30 books bound, and 1,157 maps mounted, 68 of which were for the Valuation and Public Works Departments. A very large amount of work was done for other Departments, the cost amounting to £488. This year has been an extremely busy one, and it is not possible to give in a short report an adequate idea of the work performed. E. H. Wilmot, Chief Surveyor.

SOUTHLAND. Minor Triangulation. —Two items appear under this head —viz., an area of 7,542 acres in Forest Hill and Hokonui Districts by Mr. Macpherson, and 5,672 acres in Lillburn and Hauroko Districts by Mr. Otway. They were extensions of the existing triangulation, to control blocks of land under survey. Rural and Suburban. —17,579 acres were executed during the year, in 155 sections, the greater part of which consisted of hilly bush country. Included in this area is the Ermedale Settlement, of 2,718 acres, situated in Jacob's River Hundred, acquired under the Land for Settlements Act. Of the