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Native Surveys'.—Two surveys of Native lands were carried out, and entailed the subdivision of 2 original sections into 5 new allotments, totalling 28-61 acres. Road Surveys.—The 3-29 miles under this heading included the new highway from the City to Sockburn and a small road deviation survey at Duvauchelle. Maintenance of Survey Marks.—Survey maintenance was rendered necessary by the activities of local bodies and required the inserting of twenty-two standard stone covers and the general protection of survey marks. Other Work.—Other work included chain-testing, location of boundaries, a homestead-site and pipe-line easement at Port. Levy, centre-line of proposed road in housing subdivision, and the completion of the partly surveyed portion of the Rangitata diversion race. This latter work was completed by a contract surveyor at day rates. Office Work and General One hundred and seventy-three plans were examined and passed, compared with 47 for the previous year, and 270 diagrams were placed on instruments of title, leases, &c., while 356 tracings and 3,636 photostats were produced during the year and 70 town schemes were approved. In the offering of sections to returned, servicemen 3,600 diagrams were prepared for use as sale plans. Sixty-five working-plans were plotted and drawn, as were 28 topographical plans of areas in connection with the rehabilitation of returned servicemen. One sheet of the 1-mile provisional series was drawn, 13 cadastral maps were revised, and one 20-chain record map was compiled. Miscellaneous work of investigation searching, &c., concerning blocks for rehabilitation, land sales, and descriptions for gazettal for various purposes occupied a considerable amount of the time of the draughting staff. Land Transfer Branch Plans approved in this Branch numbered 274, and 3,338 diagrams were placed on instruments of title. Recording and indexing was kept up to date, 2 new index maps were drawn, and 128 tracings were prepared for the Valuation Department. In conclusion, I would like to place on record my appreciation of the manner in which the staff under my control carried out their duties in dealing with the increased amount of work performed during the year.

OTAGO LAND DISTRICT (H. A. Adams, Chief Surveyor) Field-work Settlement Surveys: Rehabilitation. —Topographical surveys for the purpose of preparing the final schemes of subdivision have been carried out over 17,630 acres, and, in addition, 8 single units of an area of 1,975 acres have had topographical surveys prepared of them. This work is practically up to date, and, with the exception of 313 acres, was all carried out by staff surveyors. The subdivisional surveys of five properties containing 6,284 acres, divided into a total of 14 farm units, have been completed, and the subdivision of a further 11,346 acres into 19 farm units is in hand.

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