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1873. NEW ZEALAND.

CONFERENCE OF CHIEF SURVEYORS.

(REPORT OF THE CONFERENCE HELD AT WELLINGTON, APRIL 12, 1873.)

Presented to both Souses of the General Assembly by command of His Excellency.

No. 1. Cieculae to Supeeintes'des'ts of Peovhtces convening the Meeting of Chief Sueveyoes. Sib, — Colonial Secretary's Office, Wellington, 28th January, 1573. The Government have had under their consideration the question of the present state of the surveys of the Crown lands, of lands alienated by the Crown, of confiscated lands, and of Native lands in the Colony ; and considering the magnitude of the interests, public as well as private, involved in the question, have arrived at the conclusion that the best course that can be adopted at the present time is to invite a meeting, to be held at Wellington, of all the Chief Surveyors, who should prepare a report for the consideration of Parliament upon the actual condition of existing surveys, and suggest any steps which may appear to them to be necessary for the introduction of an improved and uniform system of conducting such surveys. I have therefore to request that your Honor would be so good as to instruct the Chief Surveyor of tho Province of to proceed to Wellington by the first opportunity in April next, for the purpose of being present at the proposed meeting, and affording the Government and the other Chief Surveyors in the Colony the benefit of his experience, towards the end the Government have in view. All reasonable expenses connected with his visit to and detention in Wellington will be defrayed by the General Government. I have, &c, G. M. Wateehotjse, (for Colonial Secretary). Present at the Conference : J. S. Williams, Esq., Registrar-General of Land. —(Left 16th April, 1873.) T. Heale, Esq., Inspector of Surveys. D. A. Tole, Esq., Chief Surveyor of the Province of Auckland. T. Humphries, Esq., Chief Surveyor of the Province of Taranaki. C. Weber, Esq., Chief Surveyor of the Province of Hawke's Bay.—(Left 15th April, 1873.) H. Jackson, Esq., Chief Surveyor of the Province of Wellington. A. D. Dobson, Esq., Chief Surveyor of the Province of Nelson. H. G. Clarke, Esq., Chief Surveyor of the Province of Marlborough. S. Hewlings, Esq., Chief Surveyor of the Province of Canterbury. —(Left 16th April, 1873.) G. Mueller, Esq., Chief Surveyor of the County of Westland. T. Cass, Esq., formerly Chief Surveyor of the Province of Canterbury.

NO. 2. Mr. T. Heale to the Hon. the Colonial Seceetaey. Sic,— Wellington, 19th April, 1873. In accordance with your circular of the 28th Januaiy last, the Chief Surveyors of all the Provinces, with the exception of Mr. Thomson, of Otago, who was detained by serious illness in his family, and with the addition of Mr. Cass, formerly Chief Surveyor of the Province of Canterbury, the Registrar-General of Land, and the Inspector of Surveys, met iv Wellington on the 12th instant, and have continued in earnest discussion of the subjects submitted to them to the present day. It is clear that the first of these subjects, —" The actual condition of existing surveys in the several Provinces," —could only be arrived at, in detail and with certainty, after a lengthened investigation ; but it was thought that sufficient information to serve as a basis for suggestions for the improvement of the system of surveys might be obtained without such close scrutiny ; and each Chief Surveyor was requested to furnish a return setting out, under certain heads, the actual condition of existing surveys in his Province. The information thus obtained affords abundant proof that the surveys in most parts of the Colony, and especially in those which were first settled, have not been conducted throughout on any consistent plan sufficiently sound and accurate to form a safe basis for defining and establishing the boundaries