C—l.

given to the necessity of issuing expeditiously maps and posters relating to the disposal of lands, and two draughtsmen have been almost entirely engaged upon this duty. In connection with the publication of maps it may be noted that the lithographic staff, which has been attached to this Department since the creation of the General Survey Department, was transferred to the Government Printer on the Ist November last. Hitherto this staff had been looked upon as a primary essential to the Lands and Survey Department, as a means of supplying settlers and the public with cheap and authoritative information respecting the land-settlement and surveys of the colony, and it fulfilled that purpose. The following are details of the work done during the year:— Eighteen new maps of survey districts, drawn to the scale of one mile to the inch, have been published—viz., Upper Waitara, Omona, Opaku, Mokau, Pouatu, Kapara, Tua, Oero, Pencarrow, Gore, Cloudy Bay, Onamalutu, Heringa, Spray, Wakamarina, Bowallan, Alton, and Waiau (all drawn at the district offices), and Oxford and Kapunatiki (drawn at Head Office). New editions of the following mile-to-the-inch maps of survey districts have been published : viz., Carlyle, Crookston, Invercargill, Waimumu, Lillburn, Clutha, Molyneux, and Warepa. Mile-to-the-inch maps now in hand are the Survey Districts of Mahoe, Mangahao, Clifford Bay, Opihi, Pareora, Swinburn, Blackstone, Gimmerburn, Poolburn, Arowhenua, and Geraldine. Maps of the following towns, villages, &c, have been printed and published: viz., Towns of Inglewood, Paeroa, Mangaweka, Makuri, Mataroa, Port Chalmers, Te Oneroa, Campbelltown, and Clifden, and Villages of Mangaehu, Bulwer, Murchison, and Umutoi. Amongst miscellaneous maps which have been printed and published the following may be noted : viz., topographical map of Mount Egmont; southern portion of Kaikoura County on mile-to-the-inch scale; trig, map of Kidnappers Survey District; Cook Group of Islands ; and map showing magnetic stations. Special maps in hand include military maps of Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin. The two former have been drawn in the district offices, and are now in the Government Printing Office for reproduction. The Dunedin map is being drawn at the Head Office, and will necessarily take a great deal of time owing to the large amount of detail which it contains. A map showing the boundaries of the Colony of New Zealand is going through the press. A new index map of Bruce County has been completed. A preliminary map of the Counties of Wanganui and Waitotara has been carefully compiled and drawn at the Head Office, and is now being prepared for publication. This map is drawn on the mile-to-the-inch scale, and contains within its limits twenty-three survey districts. Its publication will be of great departmental and public advantage. Several of the county maps have become illegible and much worn, those in the Otago District being particularly worn. The map of Vincent County is now in hand at the Head Office, but the assistance of the Otago District Office is essential to renew Maniototo, Tuapeka, and Lake County maps within a reasonable date. The disposal of lands during the year has necessitated the publication of 257 land-sale-poster maps, or twelve more than last year's return. These maps have been prepared and published, as a rule, at least five weeks before the dates of the opening of the lands for sale or selection, and forwarded to the districc offices for distribution to the public. For Auckland there has been published 78 maps ; for Taranaki, 12 maps ; for Hawke's Bay, 13 maps; for Wellington, 43 maps; for Marlborough, 14 maps; for Nelson, 10 maps ; for Westland, 4 maps; for Canterbury, 24 maps; for Otago, 32 maps; for Southland, 27 maps. Of these maps 132,252 copies have been printed. For advertising lands acquired under the Land for Settlements Act there have been compiled, printed, and published pamphlets containing maps, illustrations, and complete information in respect to the following fifteen settlements : Kohika, Mangawhata, Epuni, Tarawahi, Eaincliff, Puhuka, Kapuatohe, Kaimahi, Tokaora, Eapuwai, Earnscleugh (no pamphlet), Eingway, Maungaraki, Manga-a-toro, and Glenham. The numbers of pamphlets printed for each settlement have varied from 1,500 to 3,000. According to established custom, photographic reductions of all landsale maps have been forwarded to the district survey offices for purposes of compilation of county maps and departmental reports, &c. Maps have been prepared at the Head Office for the purposes of the Eepresentation Commission, showing the population of the colony within the boundaries of electoral districts, counties, ridings, road districts, boroughs, and town districts, and within further small divisions of these local districts into which population had been placed by the sub-enumerators. This work necessitated the transcribing of population from 986 sub-enumerators' books to the maps. Extra departmental work has been performed for eighteen Departments of the Service, portion of which engaged the time of draughtsmen drawing and computing. Lithographing was the largest item. The tabular statement below shows the names of the Departments for which work was done, and the out-turn of work for the months during which the Lands and Survey Department controlled the lithographic staff. For the encouragement of tourist traffic there has been a distribution of 17,500 guide-books and other illustrated publications. The Settlers' Handbook, compiled from official data by Mr. E. A. Loughnan, by direction of the Hon. the Minister of Lands, has been completed in manuscript, and is being set up in type. For Proclamations under the Land Act 34 schedules and 22 plans have been examined. For the purposes of the Land for Settlements Act 4 schedules and 5 plans have been prepared. For Proclamations under the Public Works Acts 35 schedules and 51 plans have been examined. For Proclamations under the Loans to Local Bodies Act 9 schedules and 9 plans'have been prepared. Thirty schedules have been examined and certified for the Local Bills Committee of the House of Eepresentatives. Plans of fourteen townships have been examined for approval of His Excellency the Governor.

xxiii