15

■A—i

There were also 1,797 grants and certificates of title under the Land Transfer Act received and recorded. The work on the whole has been severe and increasing, owing to several Acts having come into active operation during the year. The change consequent upon the passing of the new Land Act, and the ever-increasing number of small-farm associations, also helped to swell the volume of work, and it has only been kept under by the constant application of all the officers, and by much overtime on the part of several of them. Accounts. Mr. H. J. Knowles, Chief Accountant, states : — The number of payment-vouchers which have been entered (twice), charged, and authorised for payment during the twelve months ended 31st March, 1893, is as follows : — 6,487 charged to Consolidated Fund, covering gross expenditure of £133,618 3,874 charged to Public Works Fund, covering gross expenditure of 116,236 Total 10,361 Total £249,854 This number represents as nearly as possible one-sixth of the total number of payment-vouchers dealt with by the Treasury—namely, 64,071. In addition, the following vouchers, &c, have been dealt with: 315 refunds of deposits ; 557 applications for imprests, entered, and authorised for payment; 166 credit-vouchers prepared and entered; 379 authorities for expenditure issued ; 108 agreements prepared in duplicate, representing grants to local bodies of £20,388. (the payments made to local bodies under grants amount to £20,388) ; 781 letters, memoranda, returns, and vouchers prepared and copied. A statement (consisting of twenty-six sheets), has been prepared monthly, showing the amount voted, expenditure, liabilities, unspent balances, and balances of votes unauthorised, for each of 252 appropriations under the control of this department, together with a statement of the position of Government loans to local bodies. The entries for the year in the expenditure and authorities ledgers have been checked, and the totals and balances arrived at.

Mr. F. W. Flanagan, Chief Draughtsman, reports:— The work done in the Draughting and Lithographic Printing Branches (Head Office) of the Lands and Survey Department during the year ended 31st March, 1893, was as follows : — Maps of Waimarama, Oero, Christchurch, Sumner, Glenomaru, Woodlands, and Eock and Pillar Districts were drawn, lithographed, and published on the 80-chain scale. The original sheets of Kidnapper, Carlyle, Mata, Waipiro, Heretaunga, Clive, and Waimate Districts were revised, and will be republished at an early date. The following are in an advanced stage of progress : 80-chain maps of Halswell, Catlin's, Waipukurau, Opaku, Makuri, Mangahao, Mangaone, and Tararua Districts. The unprecedented amount of drawing and printing required for Parliamentary papers delayed the completion of many of these maps, the time of three draughtsmen being occupied for nearly three months in reproducing Sir John Coode's plans relating to New Plymouth Harbour, and various plans in connection with the proposed North Island Main Trunk Eailway. Of large maps the following were published, viz.: East Taupo County, on a scale of four miles to an inch, showing Native land subdivisions; Eden County, on scale of 10 chains to an inch, in six sheets, showing all registered subdivisions of original sections and allotments ; Kawhia, West Taupo, and part of Clifton Counties, on scales of four miles and eight miles to an inch, in two sheets, showing the most recent topographical information and Native Land Court subdivisions; Macdonald's map of the North Island, on scales of four miles and sixteen miles to an inch, printed in three colours ; and Sheet 5, Auckland, on scale of four miles to an inch. The last-mentioned map completes the Auckland series, and affords valuable information as to Crown and Native lands in the neighbourhood of Poverty Bay and East Coast Districts. The four-mile map of Taranaki was revised and republished, and small plans of Stratford Town Extension, Town of Clifden, Block 1., Alton, and Block 11., Lillburn, were lithographed. A new geographical map of Wellington and Hawke's Bay Districts is in hand, but making slow progress, owing to the difficulty of obtaining the necessary data. Of maps drawn for other departments, the principal are : Railway map for the Commissioners, Post and Telegraph map, and map showing the chief industries in New Zealand. The preparation of lithographic plans for land-sale purposes, which devolved almost wholly on the Head Office staff, entailed a lot of work: 193 plans were issued—viz.: Of Auckland, 62; of Hawke's Bay, 13; of Wellington, 13; of Taranaki, 18 ; of Nelson, 7; of Marlborough, 7; of Westland, 4 ; of Canterbury, 27 ; of Otago, 21; and of Southland, 21. A total of 87,450 copies were printed, and freely distributed in each land district. In addition, thero were printed 5,000 copies of general map, showing lands open for selection in the land districts ; and 6,150 copies of provisional maps, showing the subdivisional schemes of special-settlement blocks. Of tourist-maps, and illustrations designed to advertise the scenic attractions and sanatoria of New Zealand, there were published the following—viz.: 10,000 maps of Cook's tourist routes ; 10,000 maps of side trips from Eotorua; 17,000 maps of coach and railway routes ; 3,000 maps of lakes and sounds, Western Otago, and route to Sutherland Falls; 3,500 maps of Westland tourists' route ; 3,000 maps of " Grand tour; " 3,000 maps showing the trout streams ; 5,000 copies of large pictorial poster of Hanmer Springs country, in four printings; 3,000 photo-engravings of Hanmer Swimming-pool; besides diagrams for Malfroy's pamphlet on the Hot Springs, and numerous illustrations for guide-books. A guide-book to Taranaki, profusely illustrated, is in the press, and will be issued shortly.