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Survey Examination* —Messrs. P. S. Sherratt and 0. N. Campbell, field cadets, passed their examinations under the Surveyors' Board in March, 1907. In conclusion, it affords me great pleasure in again acknowledging the assistance I have received in this portion of my administration from the Chief Draughtsman, the Inspecting Surveyor, and the inside and outside staffs generally ; particularly has this been so with regard to the various heads of branches that I have come more iv contact with. J. Mackenzie, Chief Surveyor.

HAWKE'S BAY. Topographical Surveys. —The only work done under this heading during the year was an area of 7,918 acres, taking in portion of Pukekura PJast, Pukekura West, Patangata Nos. 1 and 2 Native Blocks, which District Surveyor Brook did in order to arrive at the approximate areas of the various classes of land in the several blocks named; the cost of this work was O\B7d. per acre. Minor Triangulation. —Nothing has been done in this class during the past year. Burn/ mid Suburban. —There have been 79 sections with a total acreage of 44,410 acres surveyed, at an average cost of l'2s. per acre, out of which 31,810 acres, divided into 20 sections, represent Mr. John Roddick's surveys in the Motu, Upper Motu, Moanui, and Koranga districts; 7,068 acres by Mr. W. C. Wall, being portions of the Mangatahi and Tamaki Settlements; 3,057 acres of Tamaki No. 1 Block, laid off by Mr. E. H. Farnie; 2,452 acres in the Hikurangi district, denned by Mr. J. G. Wilson, being the area known as the Rangikohua ?]xchange. In addition to the foregoing, which represents the work completed and mapped, there are large areas completed in the field, and of which the plans are well forward— i.e., some 20,000 acres, embracing Mangatahi, Tamaki, and Pourerere Blocks, and 6,600 acres of the Moanui Block to complete Mr. Roddick's work. Road Surveys. —ln this class 2325 miles are returned, at an average cost of ,£2563 per mile, out of which Mr. Farnie surveyed 14 miles in the Patutahi, Hangaroa, and Tutamoe Survey Districts, and Mr. Wilson 8"25 miles in the Hikurangi Survey District, besides one or two small deviations by Messrs. Roddick and Brook. There are some 20 miles in hand but not mapped, in addition to the above. Other Work. —The amount set against other work—viz., £1,319 2s. 9d.—includes a preliminary survey of 4,445 acres of the Abbotsford Estate, and numerous miscellaneous surveys which cannot be classed under the foregoing headings, reports on various matters for the information of the Land Purchase Department, Native Land Court, Land Board, and so on; also field inspections, and general departmental duties carried out by the District Surveyor at Gisborne. Against this item must also be mentioned the work performed for the Native Land Court in preparing tracings and descriptions of some 33,000 acres in the Waimarama Block, and waiting upon the Court in connection therewith. Inspections. —District Surveyor T. N. Brodrick has made 13 inspections, most of which were of Land Transfer surveys in the Town of Gisborne and its suburbs, which, with one or two exceptions (due to the adoption of old, unreliable work), were found to be well up to the required standard, and as the defective ones were rectified directly attention was directed thereto, there was no report needed for transmission to the Head Office. Three inspections were carried out by District Surveyor Brook, and 1 by Mr. Farnie, in the neighbourhood of Dannevirke; 3 of these, executed by the same private surveyor, were so faulty that they were made the subject of a report to the Surveyor-General, by whom they were referred to the Board of Surveyors for consideration and action. With the few exceptions mentioned, the result of the inspections may be considered as highly satisfactory, the differences disclosed beinc; well within required limits. Proposed Operations for 1907—8.—1n the Napier, or southern, portion of the district Mr. Brook has the Otanga land-for-settlement blocks to cut up for settlement, which embraces some 4,000 acres, Mr. Wall the subdivision of the Pourerere purchase of 2,000 acres, while Mr. T. W. Hughes has been instructed to make sketch surveys and furnish reports upon the following Native blocks for the Tairawhiti District Maori Land Board : Hinewhaki East and West, and Ohuia Nos. 3 and 4 respectively, in the Wairoa district. Upon the completion of these he will take up the subdivisional survey of Mohaka 1 and 2 Blocks for the Native Land Court. In the Poverty Bay, or northern, portion of the district Mr. Roddick has the completion of the Upper Motu portion of the block (part of which is returned as finished), comprising about 6,600 acres. Mr. Farnie has returned to the Waipaoa Block, in the Tuahu Survey District, after being taken off for a time in order to hasten the completion of settlement surveys in the Dannevirke district: while Mr. Wilson, whose services were needed by the Native Land Court at Hastings for a considerable time, has proceeded to Te Araroa to make surveys at various outlying places between that place and Tolago Bay. Offire-v<ork. —The year's work includes 355 plans examined and approved, representing an area of 312,858 acres. These divided in their respective classes give the following figures, viz. : 222 plans under Land Transfer Act, with an area of 142,000 acres ; 72 plans of Public Works surveys, giving 578 acres; 33 plans of Native Land Court surveys, of 82,000 acres, and 20 departmental surveys, embracing an area qf 88,000 acres ;to these may be added 8 road plans. In addition to the above, 183 tracings were prepared for settlers, surveyors, local bodies, and so on; also 7 large tracings for photo-litho purposes and publication as sale-posters, while 904 maps were mounted during the year. Miscellaneous. —Under this heading I have to record a number of changes in both the field and office staffs that have occurred during the year. In July, 1906, upon the transfer of Mr. F. S. Smith, local Land Officer and District Surveyor at Gisborne (on promotion to the Marlborough

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