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Retirements. Ernest Herbert Wilmot, Surveyor-General, retired on superannuation on the 6th April, 1920. At the time of his retirement, after more than forty-six years' service, Mr. Wilmot had held the highest position on the technical side of the Department for some six years. His name will always be connected with the early survey history of inland Otago, where he was in charge of the districts around the cold lakes, with headquarters at Queenstown, on Lake Wakatipu. It was inevitable that in those early days, when so much of the high country, the mountains and passes, lakes and rivers, open downs and forests, were unmapped and almost unexplored, the surveyor should be pioneer in exploring, mapping, and preparing for settlement large areas since become well known and settled, and Mr. Wilmot's name will be found on several of the natural features of the country explored by him, so far in the back country as to identify him as one of the band of hardy pioneers of whose hardships subsequent travellers reap the benefit. Amongst other places he made extensive explorations in the Hollyford Valley, and triangulated a considerable area of high mountainous country in that region, a work of difficulty and hardship. After retiring from the field Mr. Wilmot held the position of Chief Draughtsman at Hokitika, Commissioner of Crown Lands and Chief Surveyor at Invercargill and Dunedin, and in 1914 became Surveyor-General. Henry Douglas Morpeth Haszard, F.R.G.S., who retired from the Service on the 31st March last, joined the Department on the 2nd December, 1880, and was promoted to the rank of an Assistant Surveyor in February, 1881. lie carried out extensive surveys in the Auckland District, and on the annexation of the Kermadec Group by the New Zealand Government in 1887 he accompanied Mr. S. Percy Smith, Assistant, Surveyor-General, who assisted to hoist the Hag and to make a, topographical survey of the group. In 1896, at, the time of the Thames mining boom, he acted as Inspecting Surveyor in charge of the numerous survey parties then working on the Coromandel Peninsula. In January, 1898, he was promoted to be District Surveyor, and in September, 1903, executed surveys for the Cook Islands Administration of Nine (or Savage) Island. In June, 1909. he left the field for the office, being appointed Chief Draughtsman in the Land and Survey Office at Christchurcli, and Acting Chief Surveyor until July, 1910, and after gaining experience in that capacity was appointed Commissioner of Crown Lands, Chief Surveyor, and Conservator of State Forests for the Westland District on the Ist January, 1912. In October, 1915, he was transferred to the Southland District, where he tilled similar positions, and was further promoted to be Commissioner of Crown Lands, Chief Surveyor, and Conservator of State Forests lor the Canterbury District on the 4th April, 1919. After an onerous and lengthy service of forty-one years he retired from the Service on superannuation. During the whole of this period he carried out, the duties entrusted to him in a conscientious, willing, and efficient manner, and earned the respect of all. those with whom he came in contact. In addition to his ordinary departmental duties he was appointed Chairman of the Royal Commission on Forestry in 1913, and with his follow-members presented a most valuable report on the subject. On several other occasions he acted on minor Commissions, including the Landless Natives Commission of 1914. Ernest do Courcy Drury joined the Department as a surveyor in April, 1908, and was first stationed in the Southland District,. He was subsequently transferred to Canterbury, and whilst working there carried out many road and miscellaneous surveys. He was steady and attentive to his duties in the field, and retired on superannuation on the 21st March last. Alfred John Mountfort joined the Department as a surveyor on the Ist January, 1892, and worked first on the staff of the Wellington District, where he carried out settlement surveys in rough bush country. In 1896 he was transferred to the Auckland District, and in July, 1911. to Canterbury, where he remained until his retransfer in November, 1918, to the Auckland District. He retired on superannuation on the, 21s! October, 1920. During the term of his career hi' carried out the standard traverses at Kaiapoi, surveys of forest country in the Puketoi, Waimarino, Kawdiia, and Taupo districts, and several surveys of land for settlement, &c, in Canterbury. hid ward Henry Cane joined the Department as a draughting cadet in August, 1880, and served in the Christchurcli Office for many years. His work was chiefly in the Land Transfer Branch. In August, 1889, he was transferred to Napier, where he acted as Land Transfer Draughtsman until his retirement on the 31st October last. During his forty years of service he showed himself to be an efficient officer with a, sound knowledge of his work, and his long and varied experience was of greatuse to his superior officers. James Cleghorn Potter joined the office on the Ist November, 1874, and until his retirement on the, 31st March rendered service as a draughtsman in the Invercargill Office. During this long period he worked loyally and well, showdng himself to be a careful and intelligent worker who performed his duties in a most satisfactory manner. Alexander Mackintosh joined the Department on the 17th October, 1892, as a shorthand-writer in the Blenheim Office, and until his retirement on the 4th February last served in that office, carrying out various clerical duties to the best of his ability. James Smith was appointed Crown Lands Ranger for the Westland District in June, 1892, and was transferred to the Auckland District in a similar capacity in April, 1904. He also assisted in the office in a clerical capacity, and when the North Auckland District was created on the Ist April, 1919, was transferred there. He was a conscientious and willing worker. Head Office. The work during the past year shows no diminution compared with previous periods. The supervision of the staff arrangements for the whole of the Department entails careful consideration and forethought. Every effort is made to augment departmental efficiency wherever required, and