7

C.—l

Acquisition of Land by Persons op Enemy Origin. The provisions of Part I of the War Legislation and Statute Law Amendment Act, 1918, relating to the acquisition of land by persons of enemy origin, were considerably modified by the War Disabilities Removal Act, which came into operation on the 16th October, 1922. The later legislation removes the restrictions so far as concerns all persons who have been naturalized in the Dominion, and as a result of the amendment the number of applications for licenses decreased considerably during the year. The total number of licenses granted during the period under review was 166. Inspection of Offices. The periodical inspection of offices was continued, and in addition to ordinary work the staffing of the new Gisborne office had to be attended to. It is desirable to point out what is meant by an inspection of an office. To make a comprehensive report of a land office it is necessary to investigate all phases of work, and some idea of the extent of the work might be gathered from a glance at the various headings in a recent report, which, includes —Staff and organization; overtime; interchange of duties; applying all possible checks to revenue ; inquiry re expenditure ; keys of strong-rooms and safes ; postponements and remissions ; arrears ; issue of Inspectors' notices ; imprest accounts and cash-book work ; " thirds " ; inspection of soldier securities ; housing of documents, including mortgages, bills of sale, licenses ; realization of securities; insurances; rangers' and Supervisors' duties; expiries and renewals; allotment-books ; Warrants ; Land Board work ; land-sales ; forfeitures and surrenders ; freeholds transfers ; issue of leases ; returns ; records ; reserves ; correspondence ; and any other coming under the notice of the inspecting officer. As there are twelve principal land offices to .be inspected in the course of the year, whilst the Chief Drainage Engineer's offices, and that of the Kauri-gum Superintendent, are also visited, it will be recognized that the duties of the Inspector of Offices involve continual travelling, as, in addition to the complete annual inspection, Hying visits are paid periodically to check the cash and accounts, to deal with urgent staff matters, and. any other business that requires special attention. It is only by constant and unremitting supervision that the work of a large Department can be kept in an efficient state, and it speaks highly for the painstaking and thorough manner in which the Inspector performs his duties that the working of the Department has been so satisfactory during the past year. Staff Em plo y m ent. On the 31st March, 1922, there were in the employ of the Department 631 permanent officers and 42 officers temporarily appointed, or a total of 683. During the last twelve months 17 new appointments (chiefly junior officers) were made, whilst 6 officers were transferred from other Departments. As against this accession of strength, 3 officers were transferred to other Departments, 2 officers died, 10 officers retired on superannuation, 30 officers resigned, whilst the temporary staff was reduced by 6, leaving the staff of the Department at the 31st March last composed of 619 permanent officers and 36 temporary officers, or a total of 655, a decrease of 28 for the year. It may be noted that for the previous year there had-been a decrease of 4-7, showing a total diminution of 75 for the past, two years. Notwithstanding the reduced staff, all officers worked loyally and well, and in every possible manner kept the work of the Department, up to date. Departmental Giiangks. Deaths. Edwin Hubert Campion, draughtsman in the North Auckland Office, died on the 9th July, 1922. His untimely death is deplored, and was a decided loss to the office in which he worked. He was a capable draughtsman, with a good practical knowledge of field survey, and had partially passed the Licensed Surveyor's Examination. He had been in the service of the Department since, March, 1918, first at the Head Office, and subsequently in the Napier and North Auckland Offices. Harry William Broadmore, draughtsman and computer in the New Plymouth Office, died on the 11th June, 1922. Mr. Broadmore joined the Head Office on the Ist April, 1905, and subsequently worked in the Blenheim and New Plymouth Offices. Originally a cadet, he was transferred to the draughting branch in 191.0. During his term of office he proved himself a very efficient officer, a good worker, neat draughtsman, and good computer, and his loss is materially felt in the Department. Retirements. Gordon Hurrell Morland McClure, Commissioner of Crown Lands, Wellington, retired from the service on the Ist August, 1922. Mr. McClure joined the Railway Department of the Otago Provincial Government in January, 1873, and v/as transferred to the Survey Department on the Ist August, 1877. As a surveyor he was stationed chiefly in the Canterbury District, where he did good work and assisted to subdivide the Cheviot and many other estates. He was appointed District Surveyor as from the Ist January, 1894, and in May, 1908, was appointed Chief Draughtsman in the Christchurch Office. In June, 1909, he was promoted to be Commissioner of Crown Lands, Chief Surveyor, and Conservator of State Forests for the Land District of Westland. He was transferred to the Southland District in December, 1911, occupying similar positions as in Westland. After nearly four years' service he, was promoted to the charge of the Wellington Land District, and was stationed in Wellington until his retirement. He had a wide experience of settlement surveys during his thirty-one years of service in the held, including triangulation, topography", standard, sectional, land transfer, and subdivision for settlement, as well as of engineering surveys of roads, railways, and water-races, and in carrying out this work he showed himself a most capable and efficient officer. As Commissioner of Crown Lands and Chief Surveyor in the Westland, Southland, and Wellington Districts he displayed much zeal and energy, materially assisted in the settlement of the lands of the Crown, and took an active part in flic solution of the difficult problems which have arisen during recent years in connection there-