A.—4

20

LAND AND SURVEY DEPARTMENT. On the Ist May, 1920, the responsibility for lands, surveys, and works, which had previously come under one Department, was divided by the creation of separate Departments for Lands and Surveys and for Public Works. This involved a certain amount of disorganization to both Departments, as necessarily records, instruments, office accommodation, &c, had to be rearranged. The Department of Lands and Survey was moved to new offices, and such division of instruments and office equipment made as was practicable. At this time the staff of the Lands and Survey Department consisted of one Chief Surveyor, one Native licensed assistant, and two cadets. Native licensed assistants are advanced cadets who have been sent to New Zealand for training in the Survey Department, and who have there qualified as licensed assistants under New Zealand regulations. The practice of sending cadets for training in this manner has proved very satisfactory, not only by reason of the acquisition of technical knowledge, but by reason of a widening of general education. The Chief Surveyor (Mr. Macdonald), on the 7th December, on the occasion of the resignation of Captain Cotton, took over control of the Native Department, and has since acted as Secretary of Native Affairs as well as Chief Surveyor. This was the situation when the fiscal year ended on the 31st March. During the year a considerable amount of work was accomplished, both in regard to lands and in regard to surveys. In lands forty-eight applications regarding Native land were received, investigated, and reported on, and in approved cases surveys were made. In surveys the following work was accomplished : Field Woek. Surveys:— Lands and title surveys.. .. .. .. .. .. ..28 Lands and title subdivisional surveys .. . . .. . . .. 9 Leasehold surveys .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 7 General surveys .. .. .. . . .. .. 16 Official surveys .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 5 Alignment surveys of roads (total length, 3-|- miles). . .. .. .. 9 Total .. .. .. .. .. .. ..74 Office Woek. Plans, maps, and tracings : — Plans and iTacin „. Original plans, Land and Titles surveys, and tracings of same 28 56 Compiled plans, Land and Titles Commission, and tracings of same.. 7 14 Subdivisional plans, Land and Titles Commission .. 18 Original plans of leases, and tracings of same .. .. .. 7 14 Original plans general surveys, and tracings of same .. .. 16 16 Original plans alignment surveys, and tracings of same .. 24 24 Plans and tracings in connection with official surveys .. 20 Maps, tracings, lithographs (district divisions and coloured) issued to various Departments .. .. .. .. 30 Totals 150 124 Plans as under were registered and recorded: — Alignment plans .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 24 Native compass surveys, Upolu .. .. .. . . .. 7 Subdivision of parcels, Prisma surveys in Upolu, and magnetic-compass surveys, Savaii .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 130 Charts .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 12 Divers survey plans .. .. .. .. .. .. 10 183 Previously recorded .. .. .. .. .. .. 866 Total .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,049 Staff. A licensed surveyor having arrived from New Zealand and another Native licensed assistant having returned after completing his training in the Dominion, the present staff is one Chief Surveyor, one Assistant Surveyor, two Native licensed assistants, and two cadets. FINANCE. The financial situation on the 31st March, 1.920, was as set out in Table A. During the year ended 31st March, 1920, the ordinary expenditure exceeded the ordinary revenue by £1,292 9s. 2d., the figures being as follows : Expenditure, ordinary, £96,314 2s. Bd. ; revenue, ordinary, £95,021 13s. 6d. In addition, an amount of £12,195, 4-s. 6d. was expended against Loan Account, as follows : Purchase Central Hotel, £9,500; waterworks, £2,695 4s. 6d. The situation as on the 31st March, 1921, was as set out in Table B. During the year ended 31st March, 192.1, the ordinary revenue exceeded the ordinary expenditure by £12,247 16s. 9d., the figures being as follows : Revenue, ordinary, £149,026 16s. sd. ; expenditure, ordinary, £136,778 19s. Bd.