The Waikato Times. "OMNE SOLUM FORTI PATRIA." SATURDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1872.

Waikato Times, Volume II, Issue 101, 21 December 1872, Page 2

The Waikato Times. "OMNE SOLUM FORTI PATRIA." SATURDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1872.

Tin-: reports of the Inspector of Surveys and of the Vile Seeret.vry for (.'rowri Lands, shew that the .surveys in this colony are in a most unsatisfactory slate. The former points out that no man can tell within three miles where the spot on which we are wiiiitic is situated on (ho earth's surface. Mr Moorbon?e says:—"l have, during my personal orx-punes, ascertained the unanimous confession, I iiiav say, of the surveyors of the colony that the surveys are as a whole exceedingly inaccurate/ . That our surveys are iu the state pointed out by the fthove two officials is another of the many disgraces that rest upon the shoulders of the colonists of Zealand, through the ineoinpeteney of our Ministers. Had ♦here been any political capital to be be made by fringing this matter prominently forward, the state yf our surveys would be much move satisfactory to-day. Such, however, was not the case, the general public being very indifferent iu the matter, and- those whose property will some day become af&cted took for granted that the pegs put in haphazard by some surveyor, more or less competent, warded .their property, and it,was a matter that ihey appeared to have no cause to trouble theinjselves about; at least su< li of them as received Crown grants in accordance with the boundaries so marked Tt(e Government of course are liable to holders ot Crown grants tor any error that may have been fcvomijtted, whether as regards the contents of any

block or its location. Wheq the country becomes thickly populated Ihero will be found out of these in.pi-rfrcl surveys gutlicient food for legislation to satiate the appetites of the most greedy gentlemen of the lo.ng robe. The greatest difficulty will arise from the Crown grunts given in accordauoo with tlio decision of the Native Lands Court, 'j'be lands thus granted are often situated in portions of the cuntry where triangulatiou has not even been attempted, and it is well known that it is an impossibility that the. surveys on which the Land Offices have acted can, in the absence of careful and accunile trignumetrical .surveys, be more than, if so much as, approximately correct. Ac the present rate of proceeding it will yet be some years before the survey of this island will be completed. So far as we are awaie, there is only one party employed in the _\'oith Isiand —that under JSir iSmitn, who moved into the inierior from Tauranga a short time back. It would be useless to cast reflections on thi.se who have had the conduct of our affairs; the damage is done ; it is now the duty of the present responsible advisers of th,e Crown to. take active and as effectual steps as are possible under the circqinstauees to place our surveys on a better footing than being ba>ed on the wild "shots" of private surveyors. Mi' Moorhou?e has not satisfied liimsoU' by simply pointing out the existence of the evil, but has aho made some practical suggestions which appear to us reasonable. They are as follow:—

1. Tlmt there be a Surveyor-General fjr the colony, who shall have tiie supremo direction of the whole .scheme. 2. One Chief Inspector of Surveys, whose work would be an active inspection of Ihe vai'iou.s. district surveys. 3. A director ot trignometrieal surveys and astronomical observer fur the colony, who should , be the head of a distinct branch, of the service, subordinate to the l-Jurvevor-GciKM'iil. •!•. For cvvvy IbaA registration or other conveniently arranged district, r. district, surveyor in local charge of the surveys, working u] on an uniform plan directed by the ■Surveyor General, and supervised by the Chief Inspector of .Surveys. r>. A ciiiuf scientific draftsman, to bo responsibly for. the preparation of nil the public survey maps of the colony ; to be in charge of the central suivey office. (>. hi each district a slaf;' of field surveyors, with proper assistants and competent draft-men. Th:s stall" need not as a rule, he more numerous or more expensive than the existing Provincial establishments, most of the officers of which would he available for service under the reformed system. 7. Seeing that it is not in any degree good; policy to lessen flic number of land-pelting centre.-; —alp the existing Provincial offices would be required ibr the use of the new stall'. JS. The full expenditure by the General Government need not coninicr.ee for a period of say six to nine months from the. , creation of a central stall'. 0. Until the working of the whole of the district was taken over it would only be necessary to provide for the- expense of a general oflicc. Say — £ s. cl. Sunrvm-Geuernl SOO, 0 0 CiiirHuspector of Surveyn <3.J0 0 0 Director of Trignometrical Surveys and Astronomical Observer ... - GSO, 0 0 Chief Dnifism:." I*Q 0 0 I'lioto-lUlio-vapl-.cr -_ - - - - 300 0 0 Ollie.i expenses and furnituie " " ") Travelling expenses .... C 1,500 0 0 Clerical aid and contingencies - ) £4,350 0 0 The ratio of expenditure, during the first year would be very much heavier in proportion to field work than in any succeeding year. There is every s-olid assurance that, under such a perfect discipline us might and doubtless would be exerted by a general establishment, the colony would derive several great benefits : — Ist. Perfectly accurate work. '2nd. Very considerably more of it for- thy money than, is accomplished under existing systems. 3rd. Slavey (exeepe in the ease of small isolated sections) would] almost] immediately fallow purolisi.se, and so the delay in the hsu? of Crown grants, which has. been st:e'i a notorious evil many years past would bo obbviated. .It did not require any ereat effort; of genius to put together the above >ns, ay,d wore we not in New Zonlaud wo might be surprised 1 liat, some organisation rf the sorb had not been established many years ago. Tlie greater part of the surveys will soouer or later have to be re-pxeeuled at an enormous cost to the rolony. It is to be hoped that before this work commences the stc.if to whom the work is entrusted will be under the strict supervision of'a competent head to the Survey Department, aad tUafc the subordinates will be equal to the work they will have to perform.