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Diagrams were placed on 308 Crown titles in duplicate, and on 762 in triplicate —a total of 2,892. In the Land Transfer Branch diagrams were drawn on 997 certificates of title in duplicate, on I in triplicate, and II single, a total of 2,011 : and 1,298 deeds and other instruments were examined. A revision of Ihe Valuation Departments' maps was completed, and 82:; miscellaneous tracings anil compilations have been made for various purposes. During the year 65 working-plans of the subdivisions iii Morven Hills. Kawarau, Northburn, and Linnburn runs have been made by I he office stall', but are not included in the list of plans passed and recorded, as they await final examination by the surveyors who were engaged on the work. The acquisition by the Crown of Conical Hills and Elderslie No. 2 Settlements entailed a great deal of e.xt ra office-work in const ruci ion of t he plans and calculat ions. A start has been made with the plans of the Dunedin City standard work, and one draughtsman has been detailed to carry it through. 11l the lithographic department ."..350 lithos were printed. I.Oil") maps mounted, and 2.l books repaired and rebound. It will be seen t hat 1 he v ear has been a busy one. and I am pleased to be able to express my appreciaf ion of the willing and efficient way in which the various officers have discharged their duties. E. 11. WILMOT.

Chief Surveyor. SOUTHLAND. Minor Triangulation. -No work of this nature has been executed during the year. Rural. —2B,ol7 acres, in 112 sections, are returned under this head, 15,000 acres of which were situated in rough bush country, the loading of which necessitated much exploration and grading. Mostly old worked-ouf sawmill areas, 6,000 acres in Terepa Estate, the balance cm si sting of open scrub country, ami 1,318 acres of sawmill areas paid for by applicants. Village and Suburban. —19 acres, in thirteen sections, were surveyed by Mr. Thompson in the Alton District. Town Section Survey. —The surveys under tliis head comprised 21 acres, in forty-seven sections, surveyed by Mr. Driirv, in Towns of Core and Tuatapere Extension No. 2. Gold-mining Surveys.- -These consisted of 198 acres, in five sections, surveyed by private surveyors, and paid for by applicants. Roads and Water-races. —These comprise 21.', miles of roads to give access to Crown lands, and 2A miles of water-races traversed through the same. Other Work. —The amount expended under this heading represents revision surveys, schoolsites, coal leases, inspections ami reports, work in connection with the Taieri drainage scheme. preparation of plans ami specifications for Waikawa Jetty, street alignment surveys, iVc. Chainage Closures.—The mean of seventeen closures returned by the staff and comprised in 93 miles of traverse gives an average of 044 of a link per mile. Proposed Operations. —Mr. Otway has in band 3,000 acres in Longwood and Jacobs River Hundreds, the whole of which it is expected will be completed by the end of June. There is an additional area of about 2,500 acres in Jacobs River Hundred, consisting of worked-out sawmill areas, which I propose to have out up whilst Mr. Otway is in the locality. Mr. Macpherson expects to complete his block of 9.000 acres in Aparima and Jacobs River Hundreds about the end of October. There will, however, be a further area of cut-out sawmill areas in Aparima Hundred of about 1,000 acres, which 1 will get him to survey before he leaves the neighbourhood. Mr. Thompson has in hand 3,000 acres of settlement surveys in Longwood District, and some spotting surveys which will occupy him til! about July. It is probable, however, that with further e.xplora tion a good deal more land will be found suitable for settlement, in which case the amount of his work in thai district will be increased. Mr. Falkiner has 15,000 acres in Mokoreta District in band. It has, however, been decided to discontinue the survey of all but 1,000 acres of this block for the present. On the completion of the 1,000 acres he will take up the subdivision of 6,500 acres in Campbelltown and Oteramika Hundreds left untouched by Mr. Drury, who has been transferred to Canterbury. There is a considerable area of bush land in Lillburn and Monowai Districts which may be found suitable for settlement, but this can only be ascertained by a preliminary exploration, xvhich at present is quite impossible, as I have not a surveyor available. Owing to the very large number of subdivisional and town surveys in progress in the Town of Invercargill ami suburbs, it is imperative that the standard survey should be extended at once, in order to facilitate field and office check in Land Transfer plans, but unless another surveyor is added to my staff it will be impossible to do this very necessary work. Office-work. —During the year 5.'! ordinary survey plans, representing 16,640 acres, were examined and passed ; 36 photo-lithographic tracings for sale plans wen- made; the new topo graphioal map of the Dominion mentioned in last year's report was completed and sent forward for publication. Three original lithographic drawings were compiled, and mails of 3 survey districts revised and brought up to date. The work of renewing some of our old application maps is being done as opportunity offers, 3 nexv maps having been drawn, and a new map of Wallace County is nearly completed. 376 miscellaneous and 389 working tracings were made, and 101 Land Transfer plans traced lor Valuation Office. 21 local bodies' schedules in duplicate were prepared, and a list of educational endowments made. 8 road-closing tracings in triplicate were drawn, a map for Defence Department prepared, and 380 maps and plans were mounted. The amalgamation of the suburban boroughs with that of Invercargill proper has lessened the usefulness of the present lithograph of Town of Invercargill, and a nexv drawing for lithography has therefore been put in band, and considerable progress has been made with it. This map will be thoroughly up to date, and when published will be found to be most useful for general purposes. Land Transfer. —115 plans, representing 47.105 acres, were examined and passed. The work in this branch has increased so much as to necessitate one of the draughting staff gix-ing a large amount of his time to assist the Land Transfer Draughtsman in placing diagrams on certificates. Changes of Staff. —At the beginning of December last Mr. Skeet. Co issioner of Crown Lands and Chief Surveyor, was promoted to the Auckland Land District, and F was transferred from Westland to succeed him. My thanks are due to all the officers, both in the field and the indoor staff, for their able assisi ance in the year's work. G. II M. MeCi.riiE. Chief Surveyor