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Road-surveys.—About 45 miles have been laid off by Messrs. Farnie, Roddick, Hughes, and Cagney ; but, the plans of only 2| miles having been completed, they alone are returned this season at a cost of £10-30 per mile. Proposed Operations. 1910-11. —Mr. Brook will complete the survey of the Paeroa No. 2 Block, 1,850 acres, the subdivision of the Omahu No. 2 Block, 2,500 acres, lor the Native Laud Court, besides other surveys that will probably be required for settlement and the Maori Land Board. He will also make some inspections. Mr. Farnie will complete the subdivision of the lluiarua Block, of 7,75(1 acres. also subdivide Hun 18. containing 3.1 18 acres, into smaller .sections : he will then be available for the Tahora Block of 48,000 acres or any more urgent surveys that may be required. Mr. Roddick will complete the subdivisional survey of Run 17, 19,019 acres, of which 14,000 acres is already completed, in the field. He will then lie available for the Tahora Block or more, urgent surveys which I anticipate the passing ol the Native Land Act. 1909, will bring to this Department. Mr. Hughes is to be transferred to the Auckland Land District. Mr. Walshe will complete the survey of the Pohokura Block of 40,000 acres. Mr. Cagney will subdivide the Tutaekuri No. 2 Block, 12,150 acres, for the Maori Land Board. Air. Ward will complete the survey of Tamaki No. 4, 1,800 acres, and other miscellaneous surveys that may be required. Office-work. —Mr. H. G. Price, Chief Draughtsman, reports as follows : " During the year 378 plans have been examined and approved (an increase of 25 on the previous year) representing an area of 201,192 acres. These, divided up in their several classes, are as follow: Land Transfer, 168 plans. 934 lots, 54,770 acres ; Native Land Court, 85 plans, 286 lots, 64,497 acres ; Public Works plans, 71 plans, 157 lots, 1.101 acres: departmental, 54 plans, 279 lots, 80,824 acres. In addition to the above. 573 instruments of title, such as transfers, leases, mortgages, &c, have been examined and reported on ; 560 tracings have been prepared for surveyors, settlers, local bodies, and other Departments : plans have been indorsed on I .f>7B certificates of title, 355 warrants, and 711 bases and Court orders. Twenty-five tracings for sale posters have been prepared,and a tracing for photo-lithography of the Borough of Wairoa is just completed. One hundred and sixty plans have been mounted and repaired. The present staff is kept busy with the current work, and an additional draughtsman is required, whose whole time could be devoted to bringing the block sheets up to date." Miscellaneous. Under this heading I have in report the following changes in the staff: On Mr. Trent's superannuation in May 1 was appointed Commissioner of Crown Lands and Chief Surveyor, and Mr. G. H. Billiard took my place as Land Officer and Inspecting Surveyor at Gisborne. 1 am pleased to lie able to record that the Chief Draughtsman, Mr. Price, resumed his duties on the 20th September, after a tedious illness and painful operation, since which he has regained his health in a remarkable manner. In this conned ion I wish to express my appreciation of the able assistance rendered mc by Mr. Thomson. Chief Clerk, and Mr. Cane. Land Transfer Draughtsman, in attending to Mr. Price's duties during the time he was incapacitated. Conclusion. In conclusion I desire to place on record my appreciation of the manner in which the whole field and office stall' has assisted mc in the conduct of the business of this lam] district. T. N. Brodrick, Chief Surveyor.

TARANAKI. The gross area surveyed by stall' and private surveyors during the year under the various headings represents a return of 55.112 acres, together with 7-7)8 miles of road and railway. Minor Triangulation. Although no triangulation surveys are returned this year, an area, of 39,000 acres of subsidiary trig, work is oearing completion, and important work has been carried out in preparing a, new ten-mile base line lor measurement in connection with the major triangulation of the Dominion. I'lirul ami Suburban. The operations in this class amount to 39.461 acres, in 162 sections, all of which is situated in rough forest country. Of this. 19.(170 acres consists of the final survey of ordinary settlement lands at an average cost of 2-655. per acre, and 19.791 acres, containing 108 subdivisions, preliminary surveys, covering the Tangitu Improved-farm Settlement, &<■.. the average cost of which works out at 1 l-22d. per acre. Native fund Court Surveys. No work in this class was completed by the staff, but II blocks, comprising 15.681 acres, were surveyed by private surveyors during the year. Other Work. -The expenditure under this head amounts to £1,176 lis. lod.. made up by cost for exploration, grading, and inspection of roads in the Mapara. Tangitu. Ohura. and Taurakawa Survey Districts ; inspection and reporting on blocks for landless men : improvements on small gra/.ing-runs, <Vc ; also a preliminary survey and preparation for the measurement of the new ten-mile base-line in Ngaire and Waimate Survey Districts, construction of pack and swag tracks, partial survey of portion of Wanganui River, as well as the general miscellaneous field-work. Inspections. -The usual inspections have been made over survey-work in progress during the year. Roads mid Railways. —Under this head. 7-98 miles were completed at a cost of £182 Is., or £22-83 per mile. Land Transfer. There were 113 plans, with 112 traverse sheets, checked and approved, covering 121 sections and subdivisions, of an area, of 9.301! acres 3 roods 18-03 perches. Titles. The plans placed on instruments of title of all kinds were 1,644, and 380 copies of leases and licenses were prepared.