C—la.

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APPENDICES.

APPENDIX No 1. EXTEACTS FEOM THE EEPOETS OF THE CHIEF SUEVEYOBS IN CHABGE OF SETTLEMENT OPEEATIONS. AUCKLAND. Major Triangulaiion. —For the first time since the institution of the annual survey reports, eleven years ago, the returns under the heading of major triangulation arc nil, none having been executed during the past year ; indeed, but little of the province remains uncovered by this class of work, and there is no pressing necessity for completing it. Minor Triangulation, as shown, 89,710 acres, is but the filling in of interstices in previously existing work, to enable the surveyors to properly connect their surveys. Mr. Baber's work, however, was undertaken specially to afford stations on to which the goldfields surveys could be connected, and its somewhat higher cost is due to the small size of the triangles and the heavy clearing on the bush hills. Bural and Suburban Section Surveys are somewhat under the output for the previous year, and the cost per acre slightly less. There were surveyed 843 sections, containing 52,600 acres, the average size of each section being 62 acres, at a cost of- 2s. Bd. per acre. A very large proportion of the work has been in forest-country, and much of it in isolated groups of a few lots. The small size of- the sections is due to the limit of fifty acres allowed to village-homestead sections, a number of which were surveyed during the year. The cost per acre is increased by the fact of a large proportion of the roads having been also graded. Included in the total area given above are the sections resurveyed in order that grants might issue, and those in which the boundaries had never been marked on the ground, both provincial liabilities, the cost of the first being £822 17s. Bd. and of the latter £624 14s. 9d. In addition to the section surveys given, 47 sections, containing 5,582 acres, were surveyed for homestead selectors by the authorised surveyors, payment being deposited with the Eeceiver of Land Eevenue before survey. Township Surveys. —Under this head two old townships—Tokatoka and Grahamstown —have been resurveyed, as there were several applications for sections in them, and also for the purpose of issuing grants of former purchases, the original plans having been destroyed. Native Land •Court. —The department only surveyed 7 small blocks for the Native Land Court, though 76 blocks or divisions of blocks, with an area of 148,230 acres, were surveyed under instructions from the department by the authorised surveyors, the cost being defrayed by private individuals. Native Land Purchase Surveys. —An area of 266,044 acres, in 11 blocks, were surveyed under the direction of this department by the authorised surveyors, the cost being met by the Land Purchase Department, and an equivalent in land has been, or is in process of being, acquired in repayment of the sums advanced. Gold-mining Surveys.— None have been performed by the survey officers; but 164 licensed holdings and special claims, containing an area of 3,556 acres, were surveyed under the Mines Act by the authorised surveyors, the cost being first deposited with the Eeceivers of Gold Eevenue. This class of work is a new feature in this branch of the department, and the examination of the plans has added considerably to the work to be done, and for which no extra provision has been made. It is very creditable to the surveyors engaged on them that so few errors are detected by the careful examination the plans receive. Boads, Railways, and Water-races. —Nearly the whole of the 125 miles of road surveyed has been in exercise of the rights reserved in the Native grants, and much of the work has been graded roughly as well. Other work includes such items as reports on land, inspection of road works, office-work not connected with surveys shown in the return, defining old boundaries, officers' leave, and other small items which cannot be shown in the tabular forms. Land Transfer Surveys. —Mr. Foster has passed 474 plans and subdivision plans, showing an area of 21,126 acres; and I regret to say has 43 plans on hand, an amount of arrear-work which I see no chance of overtaking with the present strength of that branch. Field Inspection. —Since the transference of the late Inspector to Napier, only one survey has been inspected, as there is no one now to do the work. I cannot spare the time myself, and the necessity of keeping the other surveys up to date prevents my detaching any of the District Surveyors to the duty. Office-work. —This has progressed much as usual, but the recent reduction of the staff has caused the accumulation of a large amount of arrears, which are likely to be increased by the necessity of clearing off the extra work for the Property-tax Department. During the year the Chief Draughtsman has had drawn and lithographed five more maps of the counties, making eleven in all now published, on the lin. scale, whilst two other counties are nearly ready, leaving three to be added to complete the whole land district. These maps prove of the very greatest service, and have saved their cost over and over again. In several cases they have been coloured, and furnished to County