Lands Dept history
The history of the Department of Lands and Survey is to be researched and published as a book. The Minister of Lands, Mr Venn Young, said that arrangements for writing the history had been made by his department in conjunction with the Historical Publications Branch of the Department of Internal Affairs. “The Lands and Survey Department has evolved from the appointment of Mr Felton Matthew as the first Surveyor General in 1840 and from the work of the many surveyors who explored and mapped our country,” said Mr Young. “Since those days the department has developed into the nation’s largest land administration agency with
far reaching responsibilities for valuable land.”
Research and writing of the history is to be undertaken by Mr B. R. Patterson, of Wellington, under a contract recently signed with the Director-General of Lands, Mr N. S. Coad. The department originally had very diverse responsibilities relating to almost all aspects of land ownership and land use. As was to be expected of one of the earliest Government departments, its activities became more sophisticated and many were diverted to new departments. The Department of Lands and Survey has been the parent to several modern State agencies. Some of the separated functions included forestry, agriculture, tourist and health resorts, cemeteries,
immigration, and loading access to lands opened for settlement.
The Department of Lands and Survey has as its present responsibilities the administration of Crown leases and licences, national parks, reserves, land development and settlement, lending for farm development, New Zealand Walkways legislation, servicing of the Queen Elizabeth II National Trust, surveying and mapping.
Some of the department’s early records were destroyed in a fire in 1952 This could well complicate Mr Patterson’s task. Mr Young said that any historical material relating t the department and held by private individuals would be of considerable assistance to Mr Patterson.
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Bibliographic details
Press, 20 October 1978, Page 8
Word Count
311Lands Dept history Press, 20 October 1978, Page 8
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