SURVEYORS' INSTITUTE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11594, 12 January 1916, Page 3

SURVEYORS' INSTITUTE.

ANNUAL MEETING.

The annual meeting of the Surveyor?. Institute was hold in the Provincial Council Chambers this morning. Mr T. Humphries, president, was in tho chair. There were also present tho vice-president, Mr Preston Chambers (Auckland), Messrs A. LI. .Bridge (Auckland), F. 1. Ledger (Nelson), T. Learmont (Westlaud). A. D. Dobson. G. M'lutvre. G. Hammer, A. \\. Newton, T. *Maben. jN. J<\ Robinson, G. Slater, O. 11. Pollen, (.!. H- Bridge, I. \V. Leeman, P. D. Morpeth, secretary (Chnstchurch). Tho annual report paid that at the last annual general meeting two recommendations were made to tho council:—(l) "That the Surveyors' Board should be approached with a request that the examination should in future be divided into two parts, elementary and advanced: the elementary portion to embrace care and adjustment of instruments, practical computations, and mapping, and the advanced portion, attaining the present standard." (2) "That th 0 council should be urged to promote legislation whereby all surveyors shall require to obtain a yearly license, carrying also the membership of the institute." The council have given careful consideration to both recommendations and had decided that it could not see its way at present to take action in the second matter, but in regard to the first it had brought the matter of dividing tho examination assuggested before the Surveyors' Board. That board had as yet made no pronouncement in respect to tho recom-

mendation. During the year the institute had'

lost three members by death audi one by resignation, and twenty new mem-: bers had been admitted. The losses by death were Messrs W. C. C Spencer and G. A. Beere. two original members of the institute. The third death was that of Mr W. de L. Willis, who fell on the field of battle at Gallipoli. At present there were 260 members and' seven students on tho roll of the institute. Twenty-five licensed surveyors and thirty-two cadets had enlisted for service at the front. A considerable amount of work had been done during the year in the matter of tenders for surveys for the Public Works Department. This Department insisted upon calling for tenders for its work,, a course of action strongly reprobated by the council. Action in the matter had been stimulated by a circular drawn up and distributed to all local committees by the Auckland local committee. As a result of its consideration, notices of motion would come up for discussion. However, no red'ress had been obtained. A deputation from the council had waited on the Public Works Department, but, while courteously received, j it had been unable to effect any change ' in the procedure. Various small mat s - I ters, such as tho equalising of the price] of protractor sheets and the request for more highly trained officers as compntaters, had been successfully brought under the notice of the Lands and Survey Department. Messrs H. Sladden (Wellington) and J. C. Simmonds (Auckland) had been nominated by the council to represent the institutes on the board. The sum of £2OO in subscriptions was outstanding, and the fundte of the institute had. gone back by £SO during the year. The statement of receipts and expenditure showed:—Receipts—Cash on fixed deposit £3OO, cash in bank £ls 12s 6d. entrace fees £lB 19s, subscriptions £IBB 8s 6d, journal £2l, interest on fixed deposit £l3 10s ; total, £557 10s 2d. Expenditure—Salaries £9O, journal £6B 12s 3d, travelling expenses £67 0s 2d, petty cash £3O 16s 7d, printing and stationery £2O ,Bs, typing and sundries £8 10s 7cT, audit fees £4 4s, cash in hand £lO 10s. cash on deposit £3OO, less bank draft £-12 lis sd: total, £557 10s 2d.

The report and balance-sheet 'were adopted. The president said that out of 487 surveyors registered in New Zealand. 286 were members of the institute. There were 410 surveyors practising in New Zealand, whilst the remaining seventy-seven were scattered over tho whole world—England, China, Australia, Malay States and United States. With regard to the matter of examinations, he could not remember that it had been brought before the council. He did not consider it would prove a success.

Mr <J. H. Bridge said that personally he favoured the dividing of the examination as suggested. The election of officers- then took place, the only election necessary being that of one councillor. Mr *C. IT. Bridge was elected to fill the vacancy. Tho following notices of motion were then discussed:—

"That Messrs J. M'Kerrow and S. Percy-Smith, fellows of the Institute, be granted life fellowships in recognition of their long and honourable connection with the institute <ind the many valuable services they have rendered to it and the profession generally." This proposal was carried. "That this annual meeting of members of the New Zealand Institute of Surveyors strongly urges the council to use every endeavour to further the improved status for surveyors aimed at on the lines set forth in the circular sent out to the council and local committee by the Auckland committee."