9

C.—l

Honours awarded during Year. 2nd Lieutenant R. F. W. Mackenzie (surveyor, Auckland) lias been awarded the Military Cross. Casualties during Year. Died oj Wounds, —Corporal L. W. B. Hall (survey cadet, Auckland). Killed in Action. —Private P. G. Barton (draughtsman, Auckland), Corporal K. B. L. Mitchell (clerk, Auckland), 2nd Lieutenant A. Morpeth (Land Drainage Engineer's assistant), Private P. C. O'Reilly (draughtsman, Wellington), Private W. Rochfort (draughtsman, Christchurcn), 0. D. Pearce (survey cadet, Auckland). Wounded. —Private A. E, R. Bagnall (draughting cadet, Auckland), Private W. A. Fraser (Forester, Tapanui), Private W. E. A. Gibbs (clerical cadet, New Plymouth), Private, J. M. Hemphill (surveyor's assistant, Dunedin), Sergeant H. C. Hulme (Cashier, Dunedin), Private R. E. E. McLeod (clerk, Head Office), Private E. M. Morilleau (draughting cadet, Auckland), Corporal C. K. Robinion (surveyor, New Plymouth), 2nd Lieutenant S. T. Seddon, M.C. (surveyor, Nelson), 2nd Lieutenant W. N. Sievers (clerk Wellington), Private R. A. Watkin (draughting cadet, New Plymouth). The respectful sympathy of the Department is tendered to the parents and relatives of those officers who gave up their lives whilst fighting for the Empire and freedom. Though young in years, they have gained imperishable glory by their heroism. Their loss will be keenly felt in the Public Service of the Dominion. Discharged from Expeditionary Force. The following officers have now been discharged, and in most cases have returned to duty : A. D. Bines (draughtsman, Auckland), H. B. Black (draughtsman, Nelson), M. J. B. Buirell (surveyor, Auckland), J. D. Olapperton (draughting cadet, Auckland), R. W. Cooper (clerk, Head Office), R. J. Corn well (draughtsman, Land Drainage Engineer's Office), T. S. Couch (tracer, Blenheim), C. J. Dunn (surveyor, Auckland), D. E. Gold Smith (Cashier, Invercargill), R. J. Hawkesby (clerk, Auckland), C. Kenny (surveyor, Auckland), B. King (clerical cadet, Christchurch), A. D. McGavock (Chief Clerk, Invercargill), R. Mcßae (Plantation Foreman, Whakarewarewa), F. W. E. Mitchell (clerk, Head Office), W. A. Nicholson (draughtsman, Wellington), P. V. Norman (surveyor, Auckland), W. Paora (surveyor, Taranaki), S. C. Williams (draughtsman, Auckland), A. Wills (draughtsman, Dunedin), E. S. Wood (draughtsman, Invercargill). Reports on Cognate Subjects. As in former years, separate reports are required to b,e laid before Parliament in connection with many of the operations carried out by the Department. They comprise— Discharged Soldiers Settlement. —The annual report under the Discharged Soldiers Settlement Act, 1.915, is furnished by the Department in parliamentary paper C.-9. Surveys. The report by the Surveyor-General on the work of the survey (or technical) branch of the Department is submitted in parliamentary paper C.-la. Stale Forestry. —Particulars of the tree-planting carried on in the Rotorua district in the North Island, and in the Otago, Southland, and Hanmer districts in the South Island, arc fully detailed in parliamentary paper 0.-3. Swamp-drainage. —The report required by the Swamp Drainage Act, 1915, is contained in parliamentary paper C.-4. Rangitaiki Land Drainage. —The annual report on the operations in the Rangitaiki Plains is given in parliamentary paper C- 11. Drainage Operations in Hauraki Plains. —A full report by the Chief Drainage Engineer on this subject is included in parliamentary paper C—B. Scenery-preservation.- The statutory report containing details of reservations and statement of accounts appears in parliamentary paper C.-6. Advances for Reading of Crown Lands. —The necessary report submitted in accordance with section 63 of the Land Laws Amendment Act, 1913, appears in parliamentary paper C.-7. Head Office. The work of the office is still increasing, but has been satisfactorily carried out notwithstanding abnormal conditions. Correspondence.- During the year 35,000 letters, telegrams, &c, were received, and 36,200 letters, &c, were despatched, making a total of 71,200, as against 67,170 for the previous year and 57,000 for the year 1916-17. Correspondence in connection with discharged soldiers' settlement continues to expand. Cemeteries. —Two new cemeteries were made during the year. The Napier Cemetery was closed and vested in the Napier Borough Council; and the Ngahcre Cemetery was closed and vested in the Grey County Council. The reservation over the Wairio Cemetery was cancelled and the land declared to be Crown land. There are now 526 cemeteries under the control of the Department. Public Domains.- -The public domains on the books of the Departm nt now number 576, comprising an area of 85,155 acres. Four new domains were made during the year, the area being 87 acres. Forty-seven domains are under the control of the Commissioners of Crown Lands, in the absence of controlling Domain Boards.

2—C. 1.