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recommend that several surveyors should be employed to lay off and legalise roads through alienated lands, and to carry standard surveys along roads in use where the original surveys are defective,^ or in cases where no preA 7ious survey has been made of such roads. Other Works. —Under this heading are classed the duties of a miscellaneous though very useful character performed for other departments and the public—such as, back-line pegging of sections" sold in former years and under different conditions from those now prevailing, the supervision of road-w 7orks, providing guides for intending selectors visiting lands open for selection, valuations, inspections, estimates, and reports on matters of public interest and importance. Land Transfer Surveys. —Plans representing 20,400 acres were tested and passed through the office. I had several of the surveys tested by staff officers, and in the present year I hope to attend to this duty systematically, with Mr. LI. Smith's assistance. In connection Avith this class of work there are three fundamental operations demanding immediate attention—namely, (1) the extension of standard traverses throughout those districts which have long been in occupation, and in which, consequently, property is proportionately valuable ; (2) the execution of standard surveys in new townships and suburbs; (3) the construction of standard record-maps to represent all the more recent surveys under this system. General. —The following is a summary of the work executed during the year : — „, . ,», , Number Area, Class of Work. of p]ans in Acr^ Minor triangulation ... ... 1 ... 11,000') Settlement survey ... ... 75 ... 197,885X. ~R , Native Land Court 84 ... 445,133f 0'1 '418 aeies Land Transfer ... 104 ... 20,400j Public Works ... ... ... 33 Sale-plans ... ... ... 32 Total ... ... ... 329* As showing the result of the skill and labour brought to bear by the Wellington survey staff in furtherance of the settlement of the country, I submit the following statement of Crown lands operations for the year ended 31st March : —

The area thrown open during the year which expired on the 30th June amounts to 167,275 acres; whilst the area actually available for selection on the same date was 128,062 acres, and this will soon be increased by 108,000 acres more. To keep pace with the numerous applications for land, the field staff has been increased to sixteen surveyors, and even then it Was found necessary to let fourteen contracts, comprising an area of 47,153 acres, to authorised surveyors. Except in a few exceptional cases, the surveys have been promptly executed, notwithstanding that the large area disposed of consists of forest lands generally remote from settled districts. Office Duties. —The Chief Draughtsman, Mr. James Mackenzie, in his summary of the officework, reports that the preparation of sale-plans to keep pace with notifications under "The Land Act, 1887," formed an onerous and conspicuous portion of the work. The Native Land Court branch, in addition to the general duties of attending to requirements of the Court, reducing plans, and bringing the same up on the record-maps, prepared and issued 1,006 Court orders and copies ;in the Land Transfer branch the number of certificates and copies was 1,642. New county maps are in course of construction, and are well advanced. Owing to the pressure of work resulting from the employment of about thirty surveyors, the office-work has fallen into arrear. Letters received and despatched number 14,779; vouchers passed, 792; notices despatched, 10,103; applications registered, leases and licenses prepared, 838; warrants, comprising 687 titles and copies, 90; lithographs, posters, and Crown Land Guides despatched, 10,000; circulars to surveyors, 200. In addition to the foregoing a multitude of other duties were attended to, including the keeping of the accounts, and corresponding. The expenditure for the year is as follows :— £ s. dr. For surveys ... ... ... ... ...... 13,405 1 8 On roads ... « ... ... ... "... 22,589 12 1 Total ... ~.- ... ... 35,994 13 9

* Including those sent in by authorised and licensed surveyors.

Area thrown open Area for Selection. : disposed of. Number of Selectors. Average Area. .885 .886 .887 .888 .889 .890 Acres. Acres. 16,494 20,404 54,989 23,712 77,546 100,056 59,993 70,390 145,495 125,307 97,146 106,349 451,663 446,218 82 149 645 494 587 386 Acres. 249 159 155 142 213 275 Totals and average 2,343 190