NEW ZEALAND INSTITUTE OF SURVEYORS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVI, Issue XLVI, 26 January 1911, Page 7

NEW ZEALAND INSTITUTE OF SURVEYORS.

ANNUAL MEETING.

(United Pkess Association.J

DUNEDIN, Wednesday. The annual meeting of the New Zealand Institute of Surveyors was htrld to-day, and was attended by 'delegates /from 'Wellington, Ciuistc.hureh, Invercargill, and Dunedin. Mr J.'Blair Mason (Dunedin) prosided in the unavoidable absence of the president (Mr Fulton), who was detained in Blenheim on legal business.

The annual report stated that the Institute had lost thirteen members during the year, but twelve had been or were to be elected, and the total membership would the n be 23u. Kegret .wa s expressed at the death of Mr' A. P. Mason, treasurer of the Institute, and one of the most, enthusiastic members. The balance sheet showed a credit balance of £Si3il o s 2d. but the outstanding subscriptions were larger than they •should be, notwithstanding the secretary's vigorous attempts to collect them" The adoption of the repori was moved by the chairman and ■seconded by Mr Allan, DunedinMr Sladden, (Wellington) said that •* n-at'ter of considerable importance ip he .profession and the ,loe:.;i •A.rfttto»-ities '-was 'the establishment of a. qualification for engineers. At nrescnt anyone in New Zealand' couli] r-all himself an engineer. The Hoads and. Bridges . Department wis recently absorbed by the Public "Works' Department, and the spending of money now fell on the- loe n l nuthorities. many of whom had onl-v foremen, not engineers. These mei: were not competent t 0 supply p»ar. 3 aji.d carry ( out bridge and roaj designing in'the best manner. 1: .vha often necessary for the Gover::ifonl .engineers to draw up complete • i.v ii.gs, watch the work, and certify :& payments. It wa s suggested thai a Board be set up. and that a n ex jiminatiou be held on the lines of thtsurveyors 7 examinations. Two o: more grades could be established — one to cover road works. smalle/ bridges, and such work, so as to bcessentially 'within the province o, surveyor*. The other grade could in elude lar.ger works, covering alss mining and electrical engineering. A

committee was being set up, to cc~i prise eugineer s and. surveyors, K o.iaw up recommendations and :

sjyliabus and report with a view t< /legislation at an early date. Tb speaker also referred to the difficuic;< .•;«., 'connection with' the surveying i'-c'native land in the North Island -Payment could only be received i: .i judge of the Native Land Cour; certified to the necessity of the work Tb: s was net always done, and secur i*=ff payment was a matter of mor« difficulty than formerly. The mattei had been placed before the Board and the prospects were that remedia measures would shortly be taken. The renovfc was adopted. The election, of office-bearers re suited as follows: —President, Mr 'T Humphries; vice-president, Mr H. Wylde (Palm'erston North); treasur ei, Mr M. G. Smith (Wellington), members of the Council, Messr s Ja* •Fulton (Wellington) and 9JV 1 Lodger (N-elson).

The following motions were Carried:^—"(l). That it be an instruc tion to the Coun-cil to take steps t~ have the survey regulations amended as to one link per mile error al-low-d for. town surveys by limiting the applications to surveys in _ the main streets of the principal; cities or lands worth £2O per foot and upwards; (2) that in the opinion, oi this meeting the application pf onp link error .to town s of little viluc an.d in a rough and windy position is? unreasonable, and was sot intended; (3) that the regulations are too - stringently enforced, and that the chief surveyors should exercise i'seretion more liberally.

Town j.lanning formed a subject oi discussion at 'the annual meeting of the. Institute of iSurveyor s to-day, and ;the 'following motion '. *w.ajs' agreed to:—"That this meeting recounnerds for the favourable consideration of the Council of the Institute the desirableness of legislation in- the matter of city building and town planning on the lines of th* English Act." In moving -the resolution. Mr C. W. Adams, editor of th,e "Surveyors'.Journal," said it Was n.ot necessary to go outride New Zealand for examples of the pernicious results of the system of

owner s perfect liberty. I\vory city —Auckland, Wellington, t v hiis"telmreh, and Dunedin —contain-■.-•1 instances of the evil wrought Spurns newly created, and jerry bnild:ig permitted, drainage not properly .trended to, and after the owner had exercised his own will, it was frequently impossible to effect proper ■.kaina'ge. He submitted that NewZealand should establish a lead in rhis matte* over Australian centres. :;i,d Mr G. Fowlds and Dr 'Findlay '•rid by their public utterances given irdica'tions of'the support they would ,oive to any scheme of efficient' town planning.