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15,000 acres of this was partly completed last year, and Mr. J. A. Eobertson has completed the field-work of 58,000 acres, which is not returned owing to the plans not being completed, the work being breaking down the major triangulation to govern his surveys of the Milbourne Estate. The area returned as completed is breaking down from the major triangulation by Messrs. Hay, McAlister, Stevenson, Farnie, and Eobertson, to check their settlement surveys in the Mangatoro, Motuotaria, and Buataniwha districts. Rural and Suburban. —The area surveyed is 52,969 acres at a cost of 0-98 d. an acre, and the field-work of 34,412 acres is completed, but not included in the return, the plans not being deposited, and will be carried on till next year, being portion of the subdivisional survey of Forest Gate by Mr. Hay and the survey of the Milbourne Estate by Mr. J. A. Eobertson. Of the area returned 48,085 acres is portion of the Hatuma Settlement, and the subdivisional survey of Manga-a-toro, Kumeroa, and Forest Gate, by Messrs. Hay, Brook, McAlister, Stevenson, Farnie, and Eobertson, and portion of the Euahine Block surveyed by Mr. Farnie, and 4,884 acres surveyed by Mr. Dalziell in the Nuhaka District, being Crown awards roaded and subdivided for settlement. Town Section Surveys. —lncluded under this heading is the survey of the Waipiro Native Township by Mr. O'Byan. It contains 497 acres, and has been subdivided into 127 allotments, at a total cost of £319 os. 6d. The town section returned was a survey by Mr. Stevenson of an allotment in the Town of Dannevirke for a drill-shed. Native Land Court Surveys. —The area surveyed by the staff is 12,376 acres, at a cost of 0-795. an acre, .being Crown awards in the Poverty Bay District, Mr. Boddick having surveyed 7,889 acres at a cost of 0-665. an acre, and Mr. Dalziell 4,487 acres at a cost of l-02s. an acre. Authorised surveyors have surveyed sixty-seven blocks of a total area of 32,971 acres at the cost of the Native owners, so that the total surveyed during the year by staff and authorised surveyors is 45,347 acres, which is less than last year. Road Surveys. —The total surveyed by the staff is 48 miles at a cost of £12-09 a mile. The field-work of 12J miles is also completed, but not returned, the plans not having been deposited, being portion of Poroporo-Tikitiki Eoad surveyed by Mr. Eoddick. Of the work returned Mr. Dalziell has surveyed 21-| miles at an average cost of £10-87 a mile, and Mr. Eoddick 26J miles at an average cost of £13-11 a mile, all in the Poverty Bay District, and generally being roads to open up Crown lands. Under this heading, but which does not show in the report, are the necessary engineering surveys in connection with the co-operative works, supervision of the work, and the preparing of engineering drawings and specifications. Authorised surveyors have surveyed 56 miles under the Public Works Act, &c, making a total surveyed by staff and authorised surveyors of 104 miles, which is nearly double that surveyed last year. Other Work. —Under this heading is included field inspections, reports on blocks, redefining section boundaries, &c, and miscellaneous work which cannot be classed under any of the usual headings. Field Inspections. —Very few field inspections have been made during this year, the District Surveyors at Gisborne and Napier having been too much occupied on other duties to spare the time for this necessary work, but where thought necessary a few inspections have been made, generally with satisfactory results. Summary of Year's Operations. —During the year nine survey parties have been employed and two contract surveyors, who have surveyed 198,858 acres of topographical survey, 36,980 acres of minor triangulation, 52,969 acres rural and suburban, 497 acres town section survey, 12,376 acres of Native Land Court surveys (subdivisional), and 48 miles of road. They have also completed a considerable amount of field-work in the various classes, which is not returned owing to the plans not being completed. A number of inspections and reports have been made by staff surveyors, who have also been employed inspecting and making the necessary engineering surveys in connection with the co-operative road-works. Authorised surveyors have surveyed 32,971 acres of Native land, being subdivisional surveys, 56 miles of roads under the Public Works Act, &c, and 109 surveys, of a total area of 106,188 acres, under the Land Transfer Act, the plans of which have all been examined and recorded. There is a considerable increase in this class of surveys over last year. Proposed Operations for 1902-3. —The work for the coming year will be the survey and the roading for settlement of Crown awards and estates taken by the Crown, extending the triangulation over portion of the district not yet triangulated, a standard survey of Clyde Township, and road surveys. Messrs. Boddick and Dalziell will be employed in the Poverty Bay District surveying and roading for settlement, Crown awards, and road surveys ; Mr. Hay on the extension of the triangulation inspections, and subdivision of acquired estates for settlement ; Mr. Brook on the standard survey of Clyde Township and settlement surveys. Messrs. Stevenson and Farnie have some small surveys to complete at Hatuma and Manga-a-toro Settlements, on the completion of which I do not anticipate that I shall have work for these officers unless some more estates are acquired for settlement. Office-work. —Office-work in all branches is on the increase. 249 plans have been received, checked, and recorded ; 1,854 plans have been indorsed upon certificates of title, Court orders, leases, &c.; and 391 tracings made for the Land- and Income-tax Department. 820 maps, which were in a dilapidated condition, have been mounted and repaired. We have also had the usual amount of work in connection with co-operative contract road-work, which involves a large amount of work of which there is no record. Miscellaneous. —Some changes have been made in the staff, District Surveyor L. Smith having been transferred to Wellington, District Surveyor F. S. Smith being appointed District Surveyor and Land Officer at Poverty Bay, and Mr. McAlister has been transferred to Nelson District. Eric C. Gold Smith, Chief Surveyor.

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