C—s

4

from which it will also be seen that the total expenditure, inclusive of sums spent through the local bodies, has amounted to £69,118. This does not, hoAvever, include the expenditure from " thirds " and " fourths " payable to local bodies out of the Land Fund, though the Avhole of it has to be previously approved by the department and Land Boards. In connection with road-works, attention is drawn to extracts from the report of the Chief Surveyor tif Westland, describing a new route over the Southern Alps, explored by himself, which in future times will form a fairly-easy railway-line between the east and west coasts of the Southern Island. Departmental. The greater demand for lands for settlement, and the larger output during the year, has necessarily caused more work in the indoor as well as the outdoor branches of the department, necessitating the very considerable temporary augmentation of the staff in order to keep pace with it. The demand on the time of those Chief Surveyors who also hold the offices of Commissioners of Crown Lands has been greatly increased during the year by the extra work thrown on them in connection with the investigation of claims under the Naval and Military Settlers' Land Act of last session, and of the revaluations under the Selectors' Lands Revaluation Act of the same year. That their own especial duties have not been materially interrupted through this extra work is due to the fact that a great part of it has been done after office-hours, and has been therefore a gratuitous service, which, however, has failed to meet the appreciation which is its due. The publication branch at the head office, under Mr. Barron's special care, has been kept fully at work, and has produced a large output, as w7 ill be seen from that gentleman's report attached. In February last the Auckland branch of the department removed from the old wooden building in Parliament Street—a building which is historically interesting as having been the first House of Parliament in the colony —to more commodious and substantial quarters in Customhouse Street, where it is nearer the public and other public offices. The removal thus effects a saving of time, and is a great convenience to those having business with the department. The strength of the department on the 30th June was as follows: 55 surveyors, 62 draughtsmen, 15 cadets, 6 clerks, 1 accountant, 4 book-keepers, 1 photographer, 6 lithographers, all on the permanent staff, besides many surveyors and draughtsmen temporarily employed. Three of the cadets passed on to the grade of assistant-surveyors during the year, and are now doing good work in the field. I have, &c, S. Percy Smith, The Hon. G. F. Richardson, Minister of Lands. Surveyor-General.

HEAD OFFICE. The administration of the Survey Department and of the large number of roads now under the care of the head office has entailed correspondence to the number of 13,700 letters and papers received and despatched. The vouchers which have been entered, placed to their proper vote and item, and signed number 8,882, of which 101 were for work done under 84 agreements w 7ith 52 local authorities, representing in all £155,549 4s. 7d. The whole of the road-works in the colony paid for by the General Government, with the exception of roads on goldfields, are now authorised by the Survey Department. Important bridges are, hoAvever, still designed by the more experienced officers of the Public Works Department, as, as yet, no officer of the Survey Department could be detailed for such work. The Public Works Department has also at its command many standard designs and specifications which long experience has brought to the highest practicable state of perfection. The administration rests, however, mainly on the head office of the Survey Department. During the year there have been published 75 land-sale maps—viz., of Auckland, 16 ; of Hawke's Bay, 6 ; of Wellington, 18 ; of Taranaki, 6; of Canterbury, 10 ; of Otago, 19. There have been drawn and published 12 district maps on the mile-to-an-inch scale, and a large number of maps for illustrating local subjects. Of the six tourist-maps, 41,100 were printed and distributed during the year. They have had some effect in revealing to the Avorld the splendid scenery, climate, and lands of New Zealand. At the Dunedin Exhibition tAvo maps were shoAvn —one on the scale of 4 miles to an inch, measuring 15ft. by 20ft., and one on the scale of 8 miles to an inch, measuring Bft. by 10ft. The hillwork of the first was very effectively drawn in crayon by Mr. Deverill; the writing and most of the other detail by Mr. McCardell. The 8-mile map was entirely drawn by Mr. G. Wilson. The first was picturesque, the second was geographical. Both received the diploma of first order of merit, and well deserved it. Mr. Grant has completed the 8-mile geographical maps of the Middle Island. They are in three sections, and the last is now being printed. He is engaged on a new map of the Wellington, Hawke's Bay, and Taranaki Districts; but, as the geographical work of the Wellington District is much behind that of the other districts of the colony, it will probably be next year before sufficient data can be compiled to finish it. For the Representation Commission 9 officers were engaged 32 days in preparing maps for consideration by the Commissioner?, in publishing the proposed and the final lithographs showing the electorates, and in preparing two sets of descriptions, and getting up by hand 350 detail-maps for Parliament, -Registrars, and others. There is an increasing amount of work required in the formation and proclamation of licensing districts, Eesident Magistrates' districts, Supreme Court districts, ridings, road districts, boroughs,