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the greater portion of the Kinloch Settlement surveys were plotted and completed in the office, the expense attending it, amounting to £180 Is. 2d., being added to the cost of the surveyors' work. There were 8 large and 11 small plans of completed surveys received for check and record, of which 12 were of acquired lands subdivided for settlement, and the balance miscellaneous surveys. Plans were placed on the originals of 64 certificates of title issued in lieu of Crown grants (the copies being made in the Transfer Office), and on 324 lease deeds, representing 113 separate leases —namely, 52 pastoral and miscellaneous licenses prepared in duplicate, 24 occupation-with-right-of-purchase licenses and grazingfarm leases in triplicate, and 37 leases in perpetuity in quadruplicate. Additional information was placed on a number of the record-maps, and 83 certificates of title, 1,093 Crown grants, and 37 leases in perpetuity registered thereon. The arrears comprise the preparation of 61 leases in perpetuity for sections situated in the recently acquired settlements, which we now propose taking in hand, the surveyors' plans having been completed and checked. The work of recording leases issued is up to date, but we still have a very large number of old Crown grants to record. Maps for photo-lithography were prepared of the Morice, Kinloch, and Mills Settlements, besides a number for miscellaneous sale maps; and also 8 large tracings, being a compilation of the Mackenzie County, which embraces 21 survey districts, were drawn and forwarded for publication. Census maps for 180 Sub-enumerators' districts, comprising 218 maps and lithographs, were prepared, mounted, and completed; and, in addition, the usual large amount of miscellaneous mapping was done. Thos. Humphries, Chief Surveyor.

OTAGO. Rural and Suburban. —The total area of this class of land surveyed during the past year is 43,210 acres, and includes District Surveyor Calder's survey of small grazing-runs 254b, 254 c, and 254 d, Mr. Wilmot's part Steward Settlement, and the part of Greenfield Settlement surveyed by Mr. Neill. Mr. Neill has not yet completed the plans of his survey of part of Steward Settlement, containing 11,127 acres ; this area will therefore appear in next year's returns. The average cost of the area returned was o'9s. per acre ; number of sections, 181. Town Section Survey. —One hundred and four sections, having an area of 44J acres, were surveyed during the year, and include sections in the Towns of Waitaki Bridge, Havelock, and Kaitangata ; also the Windle Settlement for workers' homes. The cost was 28615. per allotment. Gold-mining Surveys. —Only 5 sections, having an area of 162 acres, were surveyed by the staff surveyors during the year. All the others were surveyed hy private surveyors for fees deposited by the applicants. Altogether there were 65 sections, aggregating 2,503 acres, surveyed, at a cost of 3 88s. per acre. Land Transfer. —The work done during the year under this head includes 56 plans checked, passed, and recorded; deeds, &c, checked, 1,190; single certificates, 13; in duplicate, 696; miscellaneous tracings and plans, 18. Other Work. —The amount charged to expenditure under this head is £271 Bs. 5d., and was incurred in various services, including making inspections and reports for the Wardens of the Mining Courts and for the Land Board ; surveying wharf reserves at Lake Wakatipu for the Railway Department ; repairing trig, stations ; pegging water-race in Serpentine District; taking levels and attending Compensation Court in connection with the case of Momona settlers versus the Otokia Drainage Board ; laying down permanent standard of length ; work for the Native Land Court re Moeraki Native Eeserve, and office-work. Office-work. —The volume of work compares more than favourably with that of previous years. Seventy-four staff surveyors' plans of settlement blocks and spotting surveys, together with traverse reduction sheets, were examined, passed, and recorded on record, Land Office, and county maps, &c. ; 39 plans in duplicate of mining and special claims, together with traverse sheets, Wardens' tracings, and 55 sets licenses in triplicate were examined, passed, and recorded ; 37 plans of railways and roads in duplicate or triplicate, with traverse sheets and schedules, were examined, passed, and recorded in the usual way. The preparation of 131 Sub-enumerators' district maps for census purposes, on which were defined all requisite boundaries, entailed a large amount of extra work, which was carried out with commendable promptness (only one extra assistant being employed), with a minimum of inconvenience to the public through delaying other work. This was rendered possible owing to the existence of so complete a set of lithographs of this district. The acquisition by the Government of the Waitaki Plains Estate for closer settlement also entailed a large amount of office-work in the tracing of all original work for the surveyors. Boundary plans for purposes of purchase and titles, besides numerous lithographs, coloured to illustrate correspondence in connection therewith, were also prepared, as well as the drawing of map of new subdivisions for photo-lithographing purposes and the taking of photos for pamphlets. Supplementary maps to Dunedin and suburbs map were made to embrace more of the Anderson's Bay, Tomahawk, and West Harbour Districts, and proof lithographs were revised and sent to Head Office. An extensive tracing on 40 chains scale was made, showing the whole of Taieri Plain and surrounding country; also numerous lithographs coloured to show existing drainage and river districts, &c. The following items may also be mentioned — viz., New compiled working-plan of the Town of Alexandra; record-map of Town of Ranfurly; lithograph of Shotover District, revised for photo-lithography; 12 new Land Office maps made; a map of proposed extension of National Park; compiled trig, map Wakatipu Lake; lithographs in duplicate were prepared of pastoral licenses and proposed small grazing-runs and land in course of survey for small grazing-runs; schedule of areas and new run index; tracings and descriptions,

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