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Plans and specifications of three miles and a half of roads were prepared and issued; 92 copies of these plans were hand-coloured. Drawings of four bridges were made ; and the quantities per chain for one mile and a half of Kaikoura-Clarence Boad were computed. The work in hand for the Eepresentation Commission at the date of last year's annual report was completed. It consisted of 198 hand-coloured maps of electoral districts for Eegistrars of Electors and others ; also 3,500 copies of the general maps, showing electoral divisions, were printed. One hundred and one plans, and 93 descriptions or schedules of lands taken for roads, &c, under the Public Works Act, and the Native Lands Acts, were examined and recorded. The describing and recording of the boundaries of Eesident Magistrates' districts, Supreme Court districts, licensing districts, road districts, factory districts, boroughs, ridings; births, marriage, and deaths districts ; special-settlement blocks, and blocks brought under the provisions of the Loans to Local Bodies Act, necessitated the writing of 264 descriptions. Seventeen schedules for Local Bills Committee, House of Eepresentatives, were revised. The work of recording lands disposed of on the county maps has been kept up to date; but much of the information shown on these maps will have to be reproduced in the near future, as through age and constant wear the old records are becoming obliterated. There were five drawings made on stone, one being a chart of the principal stars. During the year corrections and additions were made on 449 stones ; and 1,155 maps and tracings were mounted. The two litho.-printing machines were kept at work constantly, except during a period of five days while repairs to the machinery were being effected. The output for the year is 526,183 copies, of 1,542 separate printings, or 903,616 pulls. The hand-presses are to be credited with 34,256 copies of this result. Printing was executed for nineteen departments of the Service; and 1,011 jobs were undertaken. Mr. Boss has taken 784 plates for photo.-lithographs, made 6 silver prints, and 732 bromide prints. As the work in the photo.-lithograph gallery and printing-office increases, one becomes more sensible of the imperfection of their appointments, and of the loss sustained by being housed in unsuitable buildings. To these drawbacks may be attributed the slow progress made in perfecting the half-tone engraving process of Mr. Eoss, which opens up a path of usefulness by means of which the scenery of the colony may be cheaply and effectively illustrated. Specimens of this process are being produced to accompany the annual report. The pictures are from sketches made by Mr. C. E. Douglas during his exploration trip, and reflect credit on Mr. Sturtevant and Mr. D. Eoss.

Lithographic Printing and Photographing from 1st April, 1892, to 31st March, 1893.

Abstract of Lithographs printed during the twelve months : — At the Head Office ... ... ... ... ... 903,616 impressions. Auckland „ ... ... .. ... ... 4,050 „ Canterbury „ ... ... ... ... ... 250 „ Otago ... ... ... ... 4,250 Southland „ ... ... ... ... ... 300 Total ... ... ... ... 912,466 Maps mounted at Head Office, 1,155; maps mounted at Wellington District Office, 285..

Number of Separate Printings. Number of impressions. Department. Number of Plates. Bromide Prints. Bromide Enlargements. By Machine. By Hand. Lands and Survey Public Works Mines Marine Colonial SecretaryJustice Eegistrar-General New Zealand Institute ... Customs Postal and Telegraph ... Agricultural and Stock ... Defence Education Land- and Income-tax ... Bail ways Government Insurance ... Labour 1,114 58 50 35 5 21 12 36 2 9 16 12 16 4 55 2 .4 2 89 454,800 14,800 78,370 12,800 23,683 2,644 66 823 25 1,650 612 18 33 2 216 6 516 27,300 18,940 500 15,200 21,300 6,200 8,900 8,000 117,150 2,000 3,150 4,000 75,950 65 1 100 580 141 3,303 2 767 100 18 13 6 10 11 24 1 Treasury Legislative 1 305 36 Totals ... 1,542 869,360 34,256 784 732