5

C—la

General. During the past year the staff (field and office) has been further depleted by the enlistments of officers, comprising two surveyors, two survey cadets, nine draughtsmen, and eight draughting cadets. Their names will be found in the report by the Under-Secretary. Temporary officers have been employed in place of the draughtsmen, and amongst these have been several discharged soldiers. As more of our soldiers return from the front it is hoped that some of our officers will be amongst them and fit to resume work in the Department. Some, I am pleased to say, have already done so. Thus the most urgent work has been kept going, but, as I reported last year, our public maps are suffering for want of officers to keep them up to date. The difficulty in obtaining field hands is still very acute and hampers the surveyors greatly. During the year the following names have been added to the roll of honour : Surveyor F. W. Watson, Survey Cadet L. W. B. Hall, Engineer's Assistant Alan Morpeth, and Draughtsman R. C. O'Reilly—all fine young officers. The departmental list for 31st March, 1918, shows that the field staff numbered eighty-two, but, at that date twenty-five were away with the Expeditionary Forces, leaving an available number of fifty-seven. They comprise one Inspector, forty-three staff surveyors, seven temporary surveyors, three cadets, two staff assistants, and one temporary assistant; and of these leave to join has been granted to three staff surveyors and two cadets. Of the twenty-five away with the Forces or in camp fourteen were staff surveyors and eleven were cadets. At the outbreak of the war the field staff numbered ninety-six, and comprised five Inspectors, sixty-five staff surveyors, fourteen cadets, six temporary surveyors, three staff assistants, and three temporary assistants. In conclusion, 1 would say that the reports from the various Chief Surveyors all bear testimony to the cheerful and efficient service rendered by the officers, both field and office men, tinder them, and I desire to express my own appreciation of their good work, as also of the work of the Head Office staff.

Table 1. —Return of Field-work executed by Head Office Staff from 1st April, 1917, to 31st March, 1918.

Standard Surveys. liural Standard Surveys. Completed. In Progress. Completed. In Progress. Other Work. Laud District. Miles Cost ' Miles 0os ? M1Jes - per Mile. Mlles - per Mile. Mile8 -|per C Mile. Miles. Cost per Mile. uckland 40-23 <: 48-42 40 £ 34-95 £ I 45 I £ 26-31 £ 80 tawke's Bay ..