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KEPOET.

The number of surveyors employed during the year ending the 31st March, 1911, was 124, of whom 95 were employed in the North and 29 in the South Island, and consisting of 57 staff, 17 temporary, and 50 contract surveyors. In addition to these licensed surveyors a number of cadets and assistants were employed. The total cost of the surveyors and their parties amounted to £82,787, and the completed works returned in each class —with the exception of Maori Land Board and gold-mining surveys —greatly exceeds that of the previous year. The cost per acre, compared with several of the classes in the preceding year, shows it to be considerably less, which may perhaps be accounted for by the favourable weather conditions that prevailed. The following is a summary of the principal work completed during the past year: —

Table A.

Triangulation. The area returned this year, of 434,731 acres, made up of 430,031 acres by staff and 4,700 acres by contract surveyors, is greater than usual, but was found necessary to properly govern the large extent of settlement surveys. The work returned for the North Island amounted to 252,550 acres, Auckland contributing 86,400 acres, Taranaki 30,150 acres, and Wellington 136,000 acres ; the South Island returned 182,181 acres, of which Nelson contributed 170,620 acres, Westland 10,000 acres, and Southland 1,561 acres. In connection with the laying-down of suitable base-lines for the purpose, as stated in previous reports, of controlling and bringing into harmony groups of uncontrolled minor work, with their different standards of length, &c, I am pleased to be able to state that the Eltham-Okaiawa baseline, about 10 miles in length, which necessitated a total chainage of 39-8 miles, has been completed by Mr. Langmuir, Inspector of Surveys, in whose hands the work has been thoroughly and accurately dealt with. The preliminary work of putting in the end and intermediate blocks and tubes, together with the preparation and ranging of this base-line, was carried out by Mr. T. G. Sole, of New Plymouth, with very great care and exactitude. Bases have also been measured in the Wairarapa District, Wellington ; at Eltham, in Taranaki; and at Matamata, in Auckland ; while others will be measured as opportunity offers. Standard Survey. The work under this head in the Auckland District remains under the supervision of Mr. J. Langmuir. Inspector of Surveys, who has Mr. H. M. Kensington, District Surveyor, associated with him. During the year the standard surveys of the City of Auckland have been proceeding satisfactorily. Seventeen plans have been completed with tracings in duplicate, and these have been submitted to the Auckland County Council for approval of the proposed alignments. Of a total of forty plans required,

Class of Work. Area. Cpst per acre. Total Cost. Triangulation Topographical Rural, by staff Rural, by licensed surveyors Rural, by licensed surveyors (costs not available) Village and suburban Village and suburban, by licensed surveyors (costs not available) 434,731 2,305,549 300,747 25,564 8,404 1,754 90 l-06d. l-26d. 2-34s. l-90s. £ s. d. 1,934 1 5 12,106 1 7 35,193 12 1 2,429 9 10 1044s. 881 0 8 Town 544 (in 974 sections) 51,862 261,150 127,572 26-54s. per section 13-4d. 13-64d. 1,292 13 6 Native Land Court, by staff Native Land Court, by licensed surveyors Native Land Court, by licensed surveyors (costs not available) Maori Lund Board Gold-mining, by staff Gold-mining, by licensed surveyors Gold-mining, by licensed surveyors (costs not available) Roads and railways 31,897 29-26d. 2,897 1 2 14,847 15 4 3,889 8 6 1,752 1,257 338 miles 4-418. 386 6 9 £20-48 per mile. 6,928 19 5