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Proposed Operations, 1910-11.—A staff of three permanent, with cadet, and two temporary surveyors and a licensed assistant, are at present engaged upon sectional work along the eastern and northeastern boundaries of the district, in the valley of the Wanganui River, and in close proximity to the Main Trunk Railway. The total area covered by these operations amounts to 91.590 acres. 72,590 acres of which is new work in Ohura, Rangi, Heao, Mahoe, Taurakawa, and Omara Survey Districts, the balance being the completion of final survey over some 19,000 acres of provisional work carried out during the year in connection with the urgent measures taken in placing the unemployed upon the land. Private surveyors, under contract with and under the supervision of this Department, are also carrying out the subdivisional survey over 17,177 acres in the Mapara and Tangitu Survey Dist rids for the Maniapoto-Tuwharetoa Maori Land Board. In addition to the aboVe, there is an area of 30,000 acres in the Mimi, Waro, Omara, and Momahaki Survey Districts, over which partial sin have been made, but further work on these blocks had to be suspended pending the completion of more urgent surveys for unemployed, &c. The work above enumerated will more than keep the pre Staff fully employed during the coming year. Office-work: Examination of Plans. —The total number of plans checked under all heads in the ordinary survey branch was 95. with 367 traverse sheets. These covered 521 sections, of a total area of 102.892 acres 3 roods 1 perch, and 81 miles 62 chains of roads taken or closed, and railway land plans. Settlement surveys of Crown lands were represented by 15 plans, containing 177 subdivisions, of a tolal area, of 46,007 acres and 5 perches; trigonometrical, 3 plans, covering 36,300 acres; 27 plans, defining 83 miles 62 chains of roads taken or closed ; 1 plan, id' 1 mile of railway land plans ; 17 Native Land Court plans, of 15.758 acres 2 roods 31 perches, in 18 subdivisions: 2! mi laneoiis plans, of 198 subdivisions, containing 2.580 acres 3 roods I perch; 6 office compilations, of 2,186 acres 3 roods 21 perches and. 36 subdivisions: and 2 township plans, of 59 acres I rood 20 perches, in 95 sections. Compilations. Twelve drawings and tracings were prepared for photo-lithography ; 5 new Crown grant and 2 road record maps, together wiih 8 block sin els. were compiled. Miscellaneous. The usual demands made on the office stall' were attended to. These comprise supplying inform,it ion to the general public ; data to the staff I'm- execution of surveys : information for local bodies and oilier Departments, Ac. ; 119 tracings were made for Ihe Valuer Ceneiul. 105 for Crown selectors, and 95 for gazetting, All recording on block sheer, record reserve, index, and other is has been kepi up io dale. Tweniv live applications for authority to sui'vev Native blocks were received and dealt with during the year. Francis Simpson, Chief Surveyor.

WELLINGTON. Secondary Triangulation.- One officer. Mr. Lowe, was engaged upon this work, which is illustrated by a diagram in last vein's report. The measurement of the principal base was completed by Mr. Langmuir. having been previously ranged, prepared, and marked out by Mr. Lowe early in the year, and the methods and results of that measurement are, I understand, to form the subject of a special publication, to which I need not further refer here. The stations observed lie at the southern end of Ihe district across the backbone range between the strait and the plains, and the weather-conditions have been most inconstant and variable. The results of Mr. Lowe's observations, made with a 10 in. Everest, have nevertheless been most satisfactory in their mutual agreement and remarkably uniform in their character, clearly evidencing excellent work and matured and experienced methods. Mr. Lowe handed over this work to Mr. Mountfort at the end of February, in order to take charge of the computing branch of this office, which was without a qualified surveyor. Town Standard Surveys. -Mr. Climie lias laid down standard marks in the Boroughs of Hunterville and Levin as a beginning in each, and has verified and amended existing surveys of this kind in Palmerston North, Wanganui, and other places where street-alterations have rendered it necessary. An inspection of all the standard marks in the city and suburban boroughs of Hutt and Petone has been made, and the work of correcting the numerous displacements and alterations is now in hand. An extension of these surveys to Upper Hutt is in contemplation. The plans of the revision of the Standard Survey, City of Wellington, were completed during the year. Rural and Suburban. —The chief surveys completed in this class have been the special improvedfarm lots, which three surveyors, Messrs. Strachan, Stevenson, and Lindsay, with two assistants, began and finished, amounting to some 10,600 acres, being surveyed into lots under 200 acres ; an area of 10,062 acres was subdivided by one surveyor for the Maori Land Boards leasehold selections ; a number of the Scenery Commissioners' recommendations have been surveyed, in area about 5,420 acres ; while out of the settlement survey of the Rangitatau Block, near Waitotara, quite a new class of work fell to Mr. Greville's charge in the unemployed-relief works of felling the bush upon the block ; some 2,000 acres were felled by about 130 men. anil a most satisfactory burn and grassing have followed. Mr. Greville's successful management of this exceptional and exacting work, and his supervision of this body of men is deserving of special notice. The traverse closures of the work done by the staff surveyors is 0-558 links per mile on meridian, and 0-599 links on perpendicular. Topographical for Selection. —Under this head I have placed the preliminary work by four surveyors, Messrs. Girdlestone, Stewart, Johnston, and Campbell, in the South Waimarino Block, which enabled some 35,000 acres to be placed in the market for selection during the year. Town Surveys. —Nothing of great importance has been done in this line, but four new townships have been laid out near the Main Trunk line, comprising 267 seel ions, many of which, including extensions of existing towns, have been sold. 2—C. la.