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shifting camp so often in the case of the latter's has made, of necessity, the cost per acre high. A similar explanation is applicable to Messrs. Wilmot's and Gibson's rural surveys. Of land reserved out of the Otago runs, Messrs. Barron, Langmuir, Armstrong, and Farquhar have surveyed 40,018 acres in Maniototo, Swinburn, Strath-Taieri, Lower Wanaka, Hawea, and Tarras Districts, and Messrs. Barron, Armstrong, and Farquhar have surveyed 13,851 acres in Maniototo, Strath-Taieri, Nenthorn, and Lower Hawea Districts. Of pastoral deferred-payment land set aside otherwise than as above, Mr. Murray has surveyed about 8,686 acres in Rankleburn and Glenkenich District, in sections of from 500 to 1,000 acres. Town Section Surveys. —The town extension of Moeraki is the only one returned this year. The soil generally is good in this township, and the situation beautiful, with an unexceptionable climate ; yet, excepting a few resident fishermen and visitors during the summer season, it is much neglected, and the pier in the bay is never used. Native Lands Court Surveys. —Of surveys for half-castes, 362 acres in all have been made, viz.',. 28 acres at Otara, by District Surveyor Strauchon, and 334 acres part in North Harbour and Blueskin District, by Mr. Mackenzie. There was detention to some extent to Mr. Mackenzie's work, through his having to wait till the half-castes agreed among themselves and pointing out allotments to the claimants. The average cost per acre has been 10s. 9d. Gold Mining Surveys. —Of gold mining surveys, the area overtaken this year has been 924 acres, in 39 allotments or sections, at a mean cost of ss. 11-J-d. per acre. This cost is so much less than last year's that I must point out that, it is owing to the greater area surveyed, and that in sections of ' which some were of large size. It also included coal mining leases. Roads, Railways, and Water-Races. —Under this heading, roads are the only works surveyed this year, and the principal work of the kind is that of the Wyndham Valley Road for the Board of Governors of the Otago High School. An engineering survey of this road, and one from Fortrose towards the Waikawa, were very well executed by Mr. Strauchon, who sent in very creditable plans of them. Altogether 28J miles have been surveyed, at a cost of £15 6s. 2d. per mile, whereof 9| miles were merely re-surveys, not engineering surveys. I append a separate report on the work done in construction of roads. Survey Parties and Inspection. —During the year (in whole or part,) 9 survey parties have been at work :• 1 private survey party about Clyde, and 1 contract surveyor. Owing to much of my time having this year been devoted to office work at Wellington and in this office, in connection with the Otago runs released in February, I have not been able to overtake so many field inspections as usual;,: but I have inspected the survey parties on nine different occasions, and have sent in seven field checks on the work, besides making five other inspections, including district offices and road formation in the Wyndham Valley ; also accompanying the Commissioners of the Waste Lands Board on their examination of lands reserved out of runs. The surveyors generally are working satisfactorily, and the younger officers give promise of becoming very efficient. The pegging and defining boundaries is well done ; and in map-drawing Messrs. Strauchon, Mackenzie, Langmuir, Wilmot, and Farquhar are specially worthy of praise. Mr. McLean, draughtsman at Lawrence, keeps his office records very systematically and orderly. Dunedin Office Work.—- The draughtsmen in this office have been fully occupied during the year in copying, lithographing, recording surveys, and preparation of certificates of title and Crown grants. The Chief Draughtsman, Mr. Douglas, left the service in January, 1882, and his particular work has since then been divided between Mr. Skey, the present Chief Draughtsman, and Mr. Runcie, the Accountant. Mr. Wilson was removed to the Head Office in Wellington during the year. Mr. Thompson has examined and checked 96 plans, sent in by the staff; 65 road and railway plans, many under the Public Works Act; 30 gold and mineral leases ; and 24 agricultural leases. Land Transfer Work.— This work does not decrease, and occupies a great deal of the office Surveyor's time, Mr. Thompson, and the whole time of Mr. Treseder. Mr. Thompson has examined and checked 93 plans, and Mr. Treseder has examined and checked 191 applications, 1,607 transfers,. 1,235 mortgages, 1,320 draught certificates of title, and placed plans on 2,640 certificates of title in duplicate. Crown Grants. —Mr. Skey has prepared, recorded, and issued 358 Crown grants, representing 83,708 acres, and 165 certificates of title, representing 23,164 acres. He has also prepared and has ready for issue 318 Crown grants and 120 deferred payment licenses. Mr. Browne has prepared 70 copies agricultural leases, 40 mining leases, 18 exchange leases, and 18 miscellaneous leases. Lithograghic Branch. —Mr. Percival has prepared, on transfer paper, 32 block maps, 4 for photolithography, besides a number of circulars. Mr. Ross, assisted by Mr. Bain, has printed block maps, 12,800 ; traverse forms, 1500 ; circulars, 1,000 ; protractor forms, 500; envelope headings, 500 ; and Chinese proclamation, 3,000. Mr. Bain has mounted 425 maps. Proposed Operations, 1882-83.—The work proposed is, first, the completion of triangulation necessary to determine accurately the position of the boundaries of runs recently re-leased, also, so far as possible, of those runs the leases of which expire in March, 1884. But the staff will be so fully engaged in cutting up the agricultural lands reserved out of the Otago runs, that without extra assistance it is quite impossible that all can be overtaken in time. Besides the ordinary triangulation I expect Mr. Wilmot will be able to finish the angular observations in the Ray trace of the Hollyford Valley, Martin's Bay. W. Arthur, Chief Surveyor.

SOUTHLAND. Field Work.— Our operations in the field during the past year have almost exclusively been confined to rural and suburban surveys. Belonging to this category there have been executed during the year 294 sectional surveys, embracing 45,062 acres, at an average cost of Is. 4d. per acre. This acreage, I may explain, comprises a considerable number of saw-mill areas, as well as a number of