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Town Section Suhvey. Comparatively little has been done of this class of work, there being only 494 acres subdivided into 965 sections. It represents a number of workmen's homes settlements in Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch; repegging some sections for sale in an <Ad township and a few villages in newly settled districts. The amount of subdivisions of suburban lands by private owners has, however, been considerable, for no less than 98 private townships have been submitted for approval and approved under sections 17 and 18 of " The Land Act, 1892," and " The Towns Main Streets Act, 1902." Native Land Coukt and Native Land Boahd Stjkvey*. As will have been seen by the table in an earlier part of the report, a large area of this class has been brought under survey, five-eighths of it being in the Auckland District. Nearly the whole of the Native Land Court blocks, comprising 81,021 acres, were surveyed by licensed surveyors at schedule rates, whereas the surveys for the Native Land Boards, amounting to 156,359 acres, were executed by staff officers. During the year 212 authorities were issued by this office for surveys of Native land. Mining Surveys. There has been a considerable falling-ofi in surveys of this nature, only 37 claims having been surveyed, two-thirds of them being in the Auckland District. Roads and Railways. The surveys of 288"84 miles have been made, of which 10"9 miles comprised railway surveys, the remainder being those of roads. It may be explained that the roads referred to are not those within the limits of settlement surveys, the cost of the survey of which is included in the cost of the sectional work, but the work in question includes roads taken by virtue of rights existing under Crown and Native Land Acts; roads taken under the Public Works Act through private property; and numerous deviations of old roads made for the purpose of improving the grades. Otheh Wouk. A large amount of miscellaneous work has been done by the staff other than that scheduled under the headings already referred to. The expense incurred in connection with it was £9,589 16s. 9d., a lesser sum, however, than the cost has been for many years past. It includes, among other matters, cost of standard surveys, supervision of expenditure of grants for roads, and other objects in the Nelson and Westland Districts, one officer in particular being wholly engaged on this duty; inspections and reports on surveys, Crown lands, scenic, roads, timber, drainage; cost of transfer of officers, &c. Fuller details regarding this item are given in the reports of the Chief Surveyors, in the Appendix. Standard Surveys. This is a very important class of work, and it is only the pressing need for settlement surveys that has prevented more being done this year. However, the standard and alignment survey of the City of Wellington has been completed by the Department, the City Council having borne a large share of the expense; and that for Auckland City has lately been commenced, the Council in this case also having agreed to contribute largely towards the cost. Representations have also been received lately from Dunedin to have that city similarly treated, but arrangements have not yet been completed. In the reports of previous years, repeated references have been made to the importance and uro-ency of extending standard traverses with permanent marks into suburbs and level country adjacent to cities, where the trig.. stations have been rendered futile through obstructions in the shape of plantations, buildings, &c. Unfortunately, circumstances have been against much being done last year, but efforts will be made to extend it to localities most needing it, where close subdivision of property has taken place for building purposes, and Land Transfer surveys are being extensively carried out.