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into his residence and treated us most hospitably. We bade him adieu, and, cutting out the remainder of the distance in good time, arrived at the Otaki Station in one hour thirty-five minutes' walking from the Waihoanga Bridge. We had a wash and a" change, and caught the 5 p.m. train for Wellington, thoroughly satisfied with our Easter holiday trip. Carrying a swag right, through might seem rather a strenuous task, for many, but we were in good form and used to the game. A much easier way would be to drive out from Greytown to Basset's but, arrange for a pack-horse to carry SAvags to Alpha, walk along the ridge and doAvn to Ihe Forks, and luive :> trap ready there to drive to Otaki. However, the weather-conditions have a good deal to do with the trip, and might prevent any definite arrangements being carried out. The best plan is to camp high up and be prepared to wait for the right weather for the trip along Ihe rangi-. Half tlie beauty of the outing lies in the glorious vicAvs obtained. Nothing is to be gained by trying to push through in the mist, and the party stands a good chance of being lost on the Avay. It took us about five hours to go from Alpha to Dennan, so there is some chance of parties being overtaken by mist on their way through. In such cases lines pared through the tussock over knobs Avhere blind spurs run out Avould be of great assistance. Later on, when all the huts are erected, the route should become well known to Wellington people. As the crow flies, the distance from Greytown to Otaki Station is about twenty-three miles; Greytown to Woodside is three miles; Woodside to Basset's, two miles and a half; from Basset's hut to the Otaki Forks is about twenty miles by the track; Otaki Forks to Otaki Station, twelve miles by Hautere Road and about ten by the Waihoanga Road. Distances in rough country are very deceiving, and a much better indication is given by the times taken. The following is a list of the times taken by our party between the main points, remembering that we swagged everything right through : Woodside to Basset's, 50 minutes; Basset's to Mount Reeves, 2 hours 50 minutes; Mount Reeves to Tauherenikau River, 1. hour; Tauherenikau to Omega, 2 hours 15 minutes; Omega to camp near Alpha, 1 hour •'!5 minutes; camp to Alpha Trig., 30 minutes; Alpha to Mount Hector, 2 hours 30 minutes; Mount Hector to Dennan, 2 hours; Dennan to edge of bush, 40 minutes; bush to Waiotauru River, 1 hour 50 minutes; Forks to Waihoanga Bridge, 1 hour 30 minutes; bridge to Otaki Station, 1 hour 35 minutes : total, 19 hours 5 minutes. There is a splendid paper on the botany of the Tararuas, which also describes the route from Kaitokc, by Mr. B. C. Aston, F.1.C., F.G.S., which is to be found in the "Transactions of the New Zealand Institute," Vol. xlii, 1909.

APPENDIX VI. EIGHT-INCH TRANSIT THEODOLITE. Mr. H. E. Girdlestone, who is using one of the 8 in. transit theodolites by Troughton and Simms, No. 219, on the new secondary triangulation, has put on record his method of reading the micrometers to show the error of run and corrections ; and also a description of the vertical circle of the instrument with its reading, setting, and level corrections. These are published here to render them accessible to other observers and to investigators of the results achieved in this particular triangulation. A description, with, illustrations, is also given of the breakwind which Mr. Girdlestone uses while at Avork. Wind-screen used on Secondary Triangulation. The following is a description of the wind-screen used in secondary trig, stations in the Wellington District, photos of which appear in this report. It is simple to erect, light to carry, will stand a good breeze, and has proved very effective throughout the work. Four bamboo poles are stuck in the ground to form a square of 6 ft. sides. The tops are connected with a rope, and then each pole is stayed out in two directions with ropes attached with rings to iron spikes driven in the ground. Four other bamboo poles are lashed about 4J ft. from the ground around the square. A canvas screen, 4 ft. 6 in. high and 24 ft. long, is put round the poles and drawn taut by short ropes running through eyelet-holes at intervals around the top and bottom. Above the canvas the calico blinds are tied to the uprights, the bottom of the blinds being just below the top of the canvas. These blinds run on cords top aud bottom, six separate pieces pinned together with safety-pins forming one side. The top piece is a calico square fastened in the centre to a rope running diagonally across between the top of the uprights, and the corners tied down just below the tops of the blinds. In breezy weather the top piece can also be pinned at intervals to the blinds. In observing, the blinds are left unpinned in the directions of the surrounding stations, and are drawn apart whilst sighting, and immediately closed again when the object has been intersected. When the wind and sun are from the same direction only two of the blinds will be required. • Most of the signals are of wood, bolted down to four posts. These nuts can be unscrewed, and the signal is not too heavy to shift temporarily aside. This enables the wind-screen to be properly erected, when the light for reading is then much better than under the wooden tripods, and there is more room to work. Some of the signals are permanently fixed, and in these cases the canvas and blinds are adjusted to fit round the struts. As only one observer is doing the work in each 1 district, the signal being moved aside does not interfere with the work. When the Avind is fairly strong extra bamboo poles can bo placed at mid-distance between the uprights and stayed out. It is really surprising what the screen will stand, seeing that it is such an apparently light construction.