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and brought up to date ; the former was traced, and the original of the latter forwarded to Wellington for publication. The surveyors' plans received during the year were checked, the necessary working tracings for the surveyors were prepared, and a multitude of miscellaneous duties were attended to. Land Transfer Branch. —Mr. D. H. Monro has furnished me with a report and schedules showing in detail the duties attended to by him and his two assistants. The work executed approximated to that in each of the four previous years. New subdivision plans were prepared of rural sections in the Heathcote Valley and at Washdyke. The total number of plans passed was 183, of which 32, comprising 246 lots, and an area of 6,564 acres, were deposited plans, and 18 were road-deviation plans. Plans were placed (in duplicate) on 912 certificates of title and on 128 certificates in lieu of grants. Areas were checked for 357 transfers, 9 mortgages, 43 leases, 219 applications, in addition to the necessary attention to the various other duties of the office. The total cost (£570) appears moderate for the amount and importance of the work done. Proposed Operations, 1891-92. —1t is proposed to continue the surveys of the Midland Eailway blocks, and to push on with the surveys of the applications for land, which are seriously in arrear ; to survey for sale any undisposed of portions of Crown land, and, should time permit, to triangulate the Hunter Valley. The office staff will complete the property-tax maps, take up the examination, reduction, and recording of plans of about 50,000 acres, which were surveyed last season ; and, if found feasible, with the time at our command, it is recommended that the publication of the district maps be proceeded with. J. W. A. Marchant, Chief Surveyor.

OTAGO. Topographical Survey. —Under this head I have included the subdivision of Buns 218 and 218 a (comprising about 23,000 acres, lying chiefly in the Nenthorn district) into five small grazing-runs. This survey is quite sufficient for the purpose required, and the cost is somewhat under fd. per acre. Minor Triangulation. —There are only 5,916 acres under this head, being a few triangles in the neighbourhood of Green Island, done at a cost of Jd. per acre. Minor Triangulation ivith Topography. —This comprises 20,000 acres in the Dart Valley, and was undertaken by Mr. Wilmot in order to connect outlying surveys, the cost of which is under 2d. per acre. Topographical Surrey for Selection under " Land Act, 1887." —There were 10,750 acres prepared for selection in Blocks VII., X., and XI., Woodland district, by Mr. D. M. Calder. The country is densely timbered and very broken, but Mr. Calder succeeded in getting very passable grades over the whole of it. The cost of this preliminary survey is per acre. Rural Section Survey. —There are 55.063 acres returned, which may be divided into two very different classes; about 32,000 acres were open country, chiefly onKuns2osA., f., and a., 222, 222b., and 223e., these were cut up into about 100 large-sized sections, at a cost of only per acre. The remainder is chiefly comprised in 22,000 acres of bush country, requiring careful exploration for roads, &c, and has cost on an average somewhat over 2s. sd. per acre. The average of the whole 55,063 acres is a little over Is. 4d. per acre. Native Land Court Surveys. —These surveys comprise some Native reserves near Purakanui, Longbeach, and Seacliff, which were subdivided by Mr. H. Maitland. The cost per acre is very high, but the sections were small, only averaging 20 acres each, and were chiefly in rough bush country. Cost per acre, Bs. 5Ad. Goldmining Surveys. —As compared with last season only about one-third of the area has been surveyed this season, viz., 3,471 acres, at a little under ss. per acre, which is about the usual rate. Of this, about 2,200 acres were surveyed by the staff, and 1,270 acres by authorised surveyors on the fee system. Roads, Railways, and Water-races. —The chief item is 11 miles of the Waikawa-Catlin's Eoad, executed by Mr. Strauchon, at a cost of £14 2s. per mile. This road has been carefully graded, mostly through dense bush, and in a country difficult of access. Everything had to be carried on men's backs —in some cases for 15 miles. The work has been done in a very creditable manner. Other Work.- —-There is nothing unusual calling for comment under this head, excepting the work done by some of the settlement surveyors in carrying true bearing into the bush blocks they are subdividing. This is owing to the want of triangulation or standard traverse, but I hope to get this overtaken during the coming season. Survey Inspections. —l have made fifteen field inspections during the year, besides accompanying yourself from Catlin's to Waikawa, and also from Oamaru to Lake Pukaki; I also, as Land Classification Commissioner, with Messrs. Maitland and Clark, spent nearly three weeks in November and December last inspecting and classifying runs in the Otago Survey District. Dunedin Office. —During the past year 109 Crown grants and certificates of title, 63 run licenses, 92 perpetual leases, 30 deferred-payment licenses, 5 mineral leases, 4 agricultural leases, 17 prospecting licenses, 60 grants for special claims, 28 license-holding certificates, and 40 miscellaneous leases were prepared and recorded, besides other routine office work. The following plans were checked : From staff 143, Land Transfer 54, road and railway in duplicate 43, and mining leases 51. Twenty-five plans were reduced and prepared for printing here, of which 5,475 lithographs were pulled; also 257 plans were mounted for this and other departments. Letters, &c, received and sent during the year amounted to 3,200. Land Transfer Work. —There were 32 applications, 980 transfers, 566 mortgages, 154 transmissions, 171 leases, and 35 caveats examined and checked. Proposed Operations for 1891-92. —The triangulation of the Tautuku Bush, comprising Eimu, Tautuku, and Woodland districts, with parts of Mokoreta, Waikawa, and Catlin's districts, was not carried on last season by Mr. Strauchon as proposed, as he could not be spared from some