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Bural and Suburban. —An area of 46,345 acres has been surveyed into 175 sections at a mean cost of Is. 2d. per acre, which may be considered a low rate, as the greater part of this work was adjoining old sections and chiefly in rough forest country. Of the above-mentioned area 3,869 acres comprise old sections which had to be resurveyed, and 11,413 acres are made up of exchanges of tenure, the most of which were surveyed by Mr. A. D. Wilson, paid by deposits. Town Section Survey. —Five allotments, averaging about 5 acres each, were surveyed in the Town of Kaikoura by Mr. S. A. Slater, to be offered on lease. Native Land Court Survey. —Under this heading 4,669 acres were surveyed, of which area 4,053 comprise the balance of Mr. J. A. Eobertson's contract of blocks surveyed on the shores of Queen Charlotte Sound for landless Natives. An old Native reserve named Wekenui, situate in Tory Channel, was surveyed by Mr. Simpson, and a small one at Kaikoura by Mr. Slater. Boads. —Only 4-4 miles of roads were surveyed—viz., 3 miles by Mr. Simpson, from Matau-a-Maui Bay, Kenepuru Sound, to Crail Bay, Pelorus Sound ; and 1-4 miles by Mr. Wilson through private property to fill up gaps on the Kenepuru-Manaroa Eoad, and on the one up the Kenepuru Valley. In addition to the above, a detail engineering survey was made by Mr. N. Marchant on the road-lines laid out through the Blind Eiver Estate, 9 miles 11 chains in length. Field Inspection, &c. —l spent a fortnight during September and October inspecting Mr. J. A. Eobertson's survey of land for landless Natives at Okoha and Endeavour Inlet, the result of which was reported to you in my memo, of 10th November, No. I found the work on the whole very satisfactory. More attention might have been given to permanently marking the coast traverses. During June last, in accordance with your instructions, I spent eight days in the Eai and Eonga Valleys measuring timber within the State Forest, for the purpose of obtaining an estimate of the amount of convertible timber growing there. In December I spent a few days in Kenepuru Sound inspecting some of Mr. Wilson's and Mr. Simpson's w T ork, and attending to other matters there. I have also inspected and furnished reports of two estates which have been offered to the Government under the Land for Settlements Act. At the end of January I had the pleasure of accompanying Mr. Carkeek to the summit of Tapuaenuku, going in from the Gladstone Homestead, on the Awatere, and following up the main branch of the Hodder almost to its source. It was a most interesting journey, but, unfortunately, a dense fog and fierce gale came on a few minutes after we reached the top, giving Mr. Carkeek barely time to put in the tube and erect the signal, when we were compelled to descend as fast as we could. Mr. Carkeek went up again from the Kekerangu or coast side, when he succeeded in completing his observations. He is of opinion that the ascent from the Awatere vid the Hodder is by far the easier one. Work for Next Year. —Probably the most important work during the year will be the prosecution, of the topographical survey over the large areas held under what are known as the " Marlborough leases." As only a little more than a year has to run before they fall in, all the expedition possible should be used in getting the maps and reports completed, so that the classification of the country may be well in hand before the leases expire. I think with the present field staff employed this should be done. In addition to this we may have some large blocks to survey, which the lessees have applied to purchase. Some of these may be conveniently surveyed by the staff in connection with the topographical surveys. I propose next season that Mr. McFarland should make a topographical survey of the country lying between the Onamalutu and Wakamarina Valleys, which is at present a terra incognita on our maps, and, as the Mines Department is forming a track to connect these places, it is time, I think, that we should know something of the nature and capabilities of the country. The proposed removal of the State Forest restrictions over a strip of country in the lower Wakamarina Valley will doubtless necessitate the survey of some leases under the Mining Districts Land Occupation Act. We have also some Native reserves scattered about Queen Charlotte Sound, comprising an area of 11,220 acres, the survey of which will be taken in hand soon. In addition to the above, there will be the usual settlement surveys, including exchanges of tenure, &c. Twelve surveyors were employed during the year just ended, as against seven last year, and considerably more than double the area has been surveyed, which of course means a corresponding increase in the office-work; while, with the exception of a cadet, the office staff remains the same. Notwithstanding this, I am glad to be able to state that, owing to the praiseworthy industry and energy of the staff, the current work has so far been kept well up to date; while I regret to say that the arrears of block-sheets, Crown-grant and Land Transfer record-maps, as mentioned in my last report, are steadily on the increase. Sidney Weetman, Chief Surveyor.

WESTLAND. Topographical Survey. —The work completed in this class comprises an area of 59,195 acres, the principal portion of which was carried out by Messrs. Douglas and Harper during their explorations in the country immediately south of Mount Cook. The other portion, by District Surveyor Murray, fills in certain wants in the topography of the several districts adjoining those on which he was engaged on section work. Mr. Wilson was also enabled to complete some of the features in the Waiho and Cook Survey Districts, which were somewhat vague and undefined; his work will be a valuable adjunct to the exploration plans of Messrs. Douglas and Harper. Bural and Suburban. —An area of 10,135 acres has been surveyed during the year, at a cost of 2s. 6-ld. per acre; this included portion of the Midland Company's Block 26 (Bl map). The 5—C. 1.