11

C—lA

APPENDIX 11. EXTRACTS FEOM THE ANNUAL REPORTS OF CHIEF SURVEYORS, 1927-28. Noeth Auckland Land District. (0. N. Campbell, Chief Surveyor.) Rural. —During the year 5,251 acres of rural land were surveyed by staff surveyors, and 188 acres by a private surveyor. Topographical. —3,2os acres of Native land were covered by topographical survey by private surveyors for the information of the Native Land Court. Town-section Surveys. —Staff surveyors subdivided an area of 21 f> acres into 582 town sections. Village and Suburban. —An area of 70 acres was surveyed by staff surveyors in this section. Roads. —Staff surveyors completed 7 miles of road surveys, and 9 miles were carried out by private surveyors. Native. —The work in this section was carried out by private surveyors, 2,394 acres being the total for the year. Other Work. —This work included inspections of Land Transfer surveys, investigation surveys, reports and schemes of subdivisions, subdivision of gum-washing areas, surveys for Police Department, fixing standard blocks, &c. The survey of 274 sections in the Orakei Garden Suburb has been completed by Mr. Trail!, and final plans prepared. A further 200 sections have been definitely planned, and, as the road-construction is nearing completion, these will be pegged in the near future. The planning of the remaining portion of the area is well advanced. Mr. Roe has been engaged on the survey of the Tangowahine Settlement, which covers an area of 4,666 acres, the work being now almost completed. Office-work. —Plans received during the year totalled 255, and plans examined and approved 243 ; 154 scheme plans were dealt with ; 55 plans were compiled in the office ; 3 survey-district maps and 3 town-district maps were drawn for photo-lithographic reproduction, and 3 county maps were revised ; 71 block-sheets were drawn ; 89 sale plans were drawn ; 874 tracings prepared ; 382 certificates of title and 450 leases were endorsed ; 212 Proclamations were entered ; 1,103 plans were recorded. The usual general work—mounting and colouring lithos, sun-prints, recording Land Board transactions and Gazette notices, searching, correspondence, reports, and general office-work— has been carried out. In connection with the past year's operations in lithographic production it may be mentioned that the work has now reached the more closely subdivided areas of the land district. Consequently progress will necessarily be slower than that obtaining when the more sparsely settled areas of the north were being dealt with. Standard Surveys. —The office-work in connection with standard surveys has been carried out by the Survey Branch staff, and included 15 standard sheets drawn, additions made to 35, 40 examined ; 44 tracings made, 78 examined, 27 traverse sheets copied and compared ; general work, field data, &c. Native Land Branch. —2B survey plans have been received during the year, 30 examined and approved, 13 compiled plans received, and 18 examined and approved ; 66 schedules of cost have been checked, 2 caveats lodged, 2 Native Land Courts attended ; 213 Court orders endorsed ; 4 record maps have been drawn, 21 tracings and 13 compilations made ; and the usual general office-work — searching, correspondence, &c.—has been carried out. Land Transfer Branch. —696 plans have been received during the year, and 820 examined and approved. Proposed Operations for .1928. —Mr. Traill will again bo engaged on the survey of Orakei Garden Suburb. The remaining staff surveyors have authority to survey 17,631 acres of rural land, 10 miles of railway, 7 miles of road, and 24 square miles of triangulation work. Private surveyors have been authorized to survey 3,194 acres of Native land. General. —Three officers have resigned during the year, two have been transferred to other districts, and one to the clerical staff. Two f.adets have been appointed, and one officer transferred from Nelson. The staff now numbers forty. In conclusion, I wish to thank the officers of the Department for the able assistance they have given me in carrying out the work of the Department during the year. Auckland Land District (K. M. Graham, Chief Surveyor). Topographical Survey. —For the past year one surveyor and one assistant surveyor have been engaged on this class of survey. The assistant surveyor has been employed wholly in the Rotorua District, and has completed , 59 square miles during the year at a cost of £456 18s. 3d., an average cost of £7 7s. per square mile. The total area surveyed in the Rotorua County is now 619 square miles, costing £4,177 Is. 3d. The surveyor has continued the topographical survey of Ngaruawahia, and has completed during the year 39-52 square miles at a cost of £337 18s., an average cost of £8-55 per square mile. The total area surveyed to date is 109 square miles, costing £924 18s. 9d. It is anticipated that this survey will be completed early in 1928, when the surveyor will continue with the topographical survey of Rotorua.