The Survey Department.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XVIII, Issue 1683, 9 March 1885, Page 2

The Survey Department.

Mb Ballinge, the Minister for Lands, is cutting down the Survey Department in a very reckless and haphazard fashion. No less than 4-2 officers of this department have received notice that their services will be dispensed with, while the Govern, ment, in some notable instances, are trying to defraud meritorious and competent officers of from twenty to thirty years standing in the service of part of their just claims of compensation. It strangely happens that while a well organised department of trained and first class surveyors is thus being palled to pieces and partially destroyed, the cry is heard from many of the country districts, that the surveys are greatly in arrear and that the services of competent surveyors are urgently required in laying out new blocks of land for settlement. We believe that Mr Ballance has an idea of getting a considerable part of the surveys “ done by contract.” Well, we happen to know something practically about the working of the Crown Lands and Survey Departments, and therefore venture to express a decided opinion that the system of “ contract surveying ” will, in a great measure, break down and lead to endless complications, disputes and litigation. Mr Ballance is quite competent to destroy an excellent working depart of the Government Service, and should he remain long enough in office he will doubtless accomplish his work of mischief. But after that has been done, it will cost the colony much time, work ami outlay to set matters, even approximately, right again.