C.—l.

8

Mr. A. V. Adams passed the Survey Examination and was appointed as Surveyor on Ist May, 1925. Transfer. On the Ist February, 1926, Mr. T. Brook, Commissioner of Crown Lands and Chief Surveyor, Wellington, was appointed as Valuer-General in place of Mr. F. W. Flanagan, retired. By this transfer the Department loses the services of one of the ablest of its senior officers. Mr. Brook had been over thirty-five years in the Department, and had during that time filled with ability and success the positions of Commissioner of Crown Lands and Chief Surveyor at Hokitika, Nelson, Invercargill, and Wellington. Kepokts on Cognate Subjects. As in former years, separate reports are required to be laid before Parliament in connection with many of the operations carried out by the Department. They comprise : — 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. Swamp-drainage.—The report required by the Swamp Drainage Act, 1915, is contained in parliamentary paper C.-4. Discharged Soldiers Settlement,. —The annual report under the Discharged Soldiers Settlement Act, 1915, is furnished by the Department in parliamentary paper C.-9. Scenery-preservation.—The statutory report containing details of reservations and statement of accounts appears in parliamentary paper C.-6. Advances for Hooding 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. Drainage Operations in Hauraki Plains.—A report by the Chief Drainage Engineer on this subject appears in parliamentary paper C.-8. Public Domains. —A brief summarv of the year's operations is given in parliamentary paper C.-10. Rangitaiki Land Drainage.—The annual report on the operations in the Rangitaiki Plains is given in parliamentary paper C.-l 1. Kauri-gum Industry.—The annual report of the Kauri-gum Superintendent on the year's operations is given in parliamentary paper C.--12. National Endowments. —The annual report required by section 11 of the Land Laws Amendment Act, 1920, appears in parliamentary paper C.-14.