o.—i.

6

Expenditure—continued. Summary of Expenditure approved during the Year ended 31st March, 1926 —continued.

Land-drainage Operations. • During the year ended 31st March, 1926, some 1,786,725 cubic yards of spoil were excavated by floating and dry-land excavators. In addition, 56,460 yards of rock and 14,115 yards of stiff clay and rubble were excavated. Full particulars of the various activities of this branch of the Department are given in Appendix 111. Staff Employment. At the Ist April, 1925, there were on the staff of the Department 627 permanent and 69 temporary officers, a total of 696. During the year 33 new appointments were made to the permanent staff, while 3 officers were transferred from other Departments ; but against these increases 33 officers resigned, 4 officers died, 10 retired, and 3 were transferred to other Departments. The staff at the 31st March, 1926, numbered 613 permanent and 78 temporary officers. Departmental Changes. Retirements. Mr. W. A. Styche joined the Department in Christchurch as a cadet in October, 1877. He was transferred to Nelson in 1900, and remained there until he retired on 30th April, 1925. Mr. Styche was an excellent draughtsman doing the highest class of map-work. Mr. H. Martin Smith was appointed a Survey cadet on the Ist April, 1878. He qualified as an Assistant Surveyor, and was appointed to such a position from April, 1881. Owing to retrenchment his services were terminated in 1885. In August, 1889, he was reappointed to the Department as a Crown Lands Ranger for Hawke's Bay, and continued at such duties until his retirement on the 30th June, 1925. Mr. Smith left an excellent record of faithful and efficient service and did much to assist in the settlement of the district. Mr. W. Laing joined the Department in the first place as an Assistant Surveyor in July, 1879, but resigned in 1890 to take up private practice. He rejoined the Government service in September, 1896, and remained on field duty until July, 1914, when he took up office-work as a Draughtsman and Computer in New Plymouth. He rose to the position of Land Transfer Draughtsman, and held that office at the time of his retirement on the 30th June, 1925. Mr. O. G. Goldsmith was appointed to the Government service as a cadet in Auckland in February, 1884, and given a Survey cadetship in January, 1886. He was appointed an Assistant Surveyor in October, 1890, but for health reasons he was transferred to office duties as a Draughtsman and Computer. He served in Napier, Gisborne, and Invercargill Offices, and held the position of Chief Draughtsman, Invercargill, at the time of his retirement on the 30th September, 1925. Mr. H. Lundius joined a Government survey party in 1880, and was employed under various Surveyors in the Auckland District until the end of 1890. He was then appointed, a Crown Lands Ranger in the Wellington District, and did good work in connection with village settlements. Later he worked as a Crown Lands Ranger in the Wauganui District, and was subsequently transferred to Wellington. He was frequently selected to act for the Government in the classification of land for rating and drainage purposes, and for a number of years was a member of the Aotea Maori Land Board. He retired on superannuation in September, 1925. Mr. W. F. Marsh joined the Department as a Survey cadet in Dunedin in April, 1879, and qualified as an Assistant Surveyor. He was employed as a Computing Draughtsman and rose to the position of Land Transfer Draughtsman, Dunedin, and in 1909 he was promoted Chief Draughtsman, Blenheim, and in 1911 returned to Dunedin as Chief Draughtsman. In 1914 he was appointed Chief Draughtsman at Wellington, and in 1915 Commissioner of Crown Lands and Chief Surveyor at Hokitika. Further promotions gave him the positions of Commissioner of Crown Lands and Chief Surveyor at Napier and at Auckland. He held the latter at the time of his retirement on the 31st December, 1925. Mr. Marsh was an able and efficient officer whose service to the Department was of the greatest value. lie retired voluntarily after over forty-five years' service. Mr. A. Marshall joined the Dunedin Office as a clerk in April, 1890, and rose to the position of Senior Clerk. He was promoted Chief Clerk and Receiver of Land Revenue, Blenheim, in June, 1919, and held the office at the date of retirement on the 31st December, 1925. Mr. Marshall had an excellent knowledge of the legislation governing the Department's operations and was regarded as a highly efficient officer. Mr. G. H. Bullard joined the Government Service as a clerk in the Postal Department in 1877. In 1879 he was appointed a Survey cadet and advanced to the position of District Surveyor in Taranaki. In 1909 he was appointed Inspecting Surveyor and Local Land Officer at Gisborne, and in 1912 further promotion brought him the position of Commissioner of Crown Lands and Chief Surveyor, New Plymouth. In 1921 Mr. Bullard was appointed Commissioner of Crown Lands and Chief Surveyor, Christchurch, and held the position until his retirement in December, 1925. Mr. Bullard was an able and efficient officer who never spared himself in carrying out his duties. Mr. V. I. Blake joined the Department as an Assistant Surveyor in Auckland in November, 1902. Previous to this he had field experience in New South Wales and the Federated Malay States. He was appointed Land Transfer Draughtsman, Gisborne, in September, 1914, and transferred to the

i r Name of Vote or Account. Expenditure Recoveries. Net Expenditure. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. Brought forward .. .. 256,687 19 10 13,619 10 1 243,068 9 6 Discharged Soldiers Settlement Account .. 758,032 0 9 .. 758,032 0 9 Refunds, deposits, &c. .. .. .. 33,227 6 5 .. 33,227 6 5 Unauthorized expenditure .. .. .. 5,884 13 9 .. 5,884 13 9 Totals .. .. .. .. 1,053,832 0 6 13,619 10 1 1,040,212 10 5 Grand totals . . .. 1,429,883 2 9 129,449 11 9 1,300,383 11 0