C—s

14

up the Rai Valley, about 18 miles, and about 6 miles through similar country from Nydia Bay to connect Avith the above. I was in hopes of completing these tracks during the past year, but OAving to the large increase in section surveys, and other pressing demands upon the small staff at my disposal, I have been unable to accomplish it; and lam afraid, unless I get the services of Mr. FitzGerald or some other assistance, it will have to give way to some more pressing work. The above, and requisitions for surveys as they come in from the Land Office, will keep my present staff fully occupied. Henry G. Clark, Chief Surveyor.

NELSON. Minor Triangulation and Topography. — The total area returned as completed amounts to 552,575 acres, at an average cost of l-03d. per acre. Of this area 75,000 acres only has been completed during the present year; the rest has been executed in previous seasons, but the plotting had fallen into arrear owing to the pressure of other work required by the Government. Mr. Billiard completed 200,000 acres up to the main range in the Buller district, and Mr. Greenfield 103,790 acres in the Wangapeka district, in order to control mining, mineral, and settlement surveys. This triangulation has a circuit of 82 miles, and embraces forty-four triangles. Mr. Greenfield closed on Mr. Sadd's previous triangulation, side G-F, with a difference of 6" in bearing and 0-14 links per mile in distance, and on Mr. Carkeek's side, J-l, to 7" in bearing and 0-56 links per mile. Mr. Bullard's close on Mr. Sadd's Avork, side Mt. M-B, was 9" in bearing and 0-78 link per mile in distance, and on Mr. Greenfield's Avork, side O-C, 17" in bearing and 0-98 links per mile in distance. Mr. Murray completed 75,000 acres from Waitapu to Tonga Island, and inland to the main range. Applications for settlement have been surveyed in the bays, old sections connected with trig., and standard points for future reference provided for on the headlands and in the various bays. Messrs. Smith and Thompson completed plans and calculations of 173,785 acres, the field-work of which was completed the previous season. This work was carried on from the Hanmer Plain base, by a series of triangles, OA 7er the main range to the West Coast, connecting Avith Mr. Bullard's triangulation brought up from the Maruia base. A close was made on the common side, C-M, with a difference in bearing, corrected for convergence, of 15", and on the length of side, 1-5 links per mile. The altitudes brought up from the datum of H. W. springs on the East and West Coasts respectively closed on Station C, LeAvis district, 4,506-4ft., Avith a difference only of 0-sft., and on Station M, 5,340-lft., with a difference of L7ft. These results may be considered very satisfactory. During the last season, Avhich was a short one, these officers have completed the field-work of 100,000 acres from Lake Sumner to the Hurunui Mount, connecting with the Canterbury triangulation. Advance stations have also been extended over 40,000 acres additional, the observations of which will probably be completed in July. Rural and Suburban Sections. —78,283 acres, comprising 260 sections, have been surveyed, at an average cost of Is. 11-6d. per acre —or, deducting the area of a grazing-run of 42,000 acres from the total, the average cost of the remainder is 2s. 4'4d. per acre., principally in bushcountry. Up to the 31st March, 46,018 acres of surveyed and 86,118 acres of unsurveyed areas Avere thrown open for selection as second-class lands ; and by the 30th June 990 acres of surveyed and 4,400 acres of unsurveyed land will be ready, making a total of 137,526. An additional 45,000 acres will probably also be available by the 30th September next. Mineral Leases. —Several surveys of this class have been made, principally in the Buller district, and have been included in the above. Gold-mining Leases. —Ninety-nine applications for licensed holdings have been surveyed, containing 3,140 acres, all in. mountainous bush-country. The number under this class is about the same as last year, with a slight increase in acreage, owing to a few special areas being granted for dredging claims on the sea-beaches and river-beds. The bulk of these surveys are in the Eeeftou and Buller districts: in the latter it has been necessary to send Mr. Bullard to the assistance of the District Surveyor, and assistance will be required in the former during next year. Land Transfer. —One hundred and nineteen certificates of title and Crown grants with 358 plans, also 139 certificates under the Land Transfer Act with 278 plans, and 157 plans have been examined, passed, and recorded on the record-maps. Two hundred certificates of title are in arrear, principally for town sections purchased at a recent sale. Office.— The general Avork of the office is in charge of Mr. Trent. During the year 284 leases and licenses, with 638 plans, have been prepared; also three Crown-grant record-maps, ten selection, and six block maps. Eight plans for road-exchanges and a large number of plans and tracings have been supplied to the Crown Lands Office, field surveyors' and district offices; 1,482 letters have been received and ansAvered; and 663 vouchers for accounts have been prepared. Two hundred and twenty-five surveyors' field-plots have been checked and recorded on block-sheets, twenty-two new block-sheets and two trig.-sheets have been constructed. This work has been done by Mr. Wright, Computing Draughtsman, Avhohas also been employed on occasional surveys in the ToAvn of Nelson. Last October Messrs. McKay and Thompson, cadets, received appointments as assistant surveyors in the Auckland district. Other Work. —This heading embraces various surveys and reports, attendance at Wardens' Courts, inspection of road-construction under Eoad Boards, &c. Proposed Work during nextfYear. —The work to be undertaken comprises 101 sections, containing 13,228 acres of settlement surveys, seventeen mining surveys of 446 acres, five mineral leases of 6,725 acres, .together with surveys for current applications for each of the above classes during the year. This will be undertaken by the staff, assisted by authorised surveyors. Applications have also been made Avithin areas set apart for selection by the Midland Eailway Company on the West