33

0.—1

Draughting Staff. —During the year this staff has been busily employed on the preparation of survey data, plans to accompany engineering reports, and general draughting-work, searching, and computations. In addition considerable work was done in preparing plans and other matters incidental to the proclamation of land transactions under the various statutes. The sitting of the Rangitaiki Royal Commission entailed much work in the compilation and copying of level records and various illustrative maps. On the engineering side the staff has spent considerable time on the designing of bridges, flood-gates, &c., drawing of dredge parts and equipment, and the examination of the various designs submitted. The lithograph maps for the various districts have been kept up to dateConsiderable work has been done on the photostat, approximately 3,550 prints having been made during the year.

APPENDIX IV.—SAND-DUNE RECLAMATION. As forecasted in last year's report, the question of sand-dune reclamation has been thoroughly discussed with the State Forest Service.- It was decided at a conference held during the year between officers of that Service and this Department that all sand-dune reclamation should in future be carried out by the State Forest Service. The work at present being carried out by the Lands Department should be continued until completion of the experimental work being conducted by the Forest Service at the Rangitikei Heads, operations thereafter on the North Auckland dunes to be taken over, if possible, by that Service. If necessary, the two Departments are prepared to co-operate in the drafting of legislation so as to provide the necessary legal machinery for conduct of reclamation work in the future on a large scale. Arrangements were made for Mr. Stafford, the Department's Overseer, to visit the Rangitikei area so as to become acquainted with the latest methods being used there, and also for an officer of the State Forest Service to visit the northern dunes for the purpose of giving general advice for the carrying-on of the work there in the meantime, the general idea being that the Lands Department should endeavour to maintain the work already performed rather than to initiate any fresh reclamation projects. Since the inception of reclamation in North Auckland three distinct areas have been dealt with, viz. :— (1.) The Waipu area, designed to stop encroachment upon kauri-gum reserves and the overwhelming of portions of the Whangarei-Waipu Main Road. (2.) The great northern sand-drifts from Ahipara to Mangonui Bluff, near Te PaM, including the drifts on Hohoura Harbour, Motutangi Swamp, &c. (3.) The Kaipara area from beyond Muriwai Beach northward to mouth of Kaipara. As a result of the arrangements made with the State Forest Service operations during the year have been confined to the Waipu area, and to lupin-planting on the great northern area, while a watch has been kept on the work previously done at Kaipara. A good deal of tree-lupin and marram-grass planting was carried out during the year.

Table 1. —Return showing (approximately) Position of Lands in the Dominion at 31st March, 1926.

5—C. 1.

Total Area of Land unfit T „ t „i a™ Tntnl Atm Crown Lands Total Area of for Settlement sold or ffrantpd reserved leased under Crown Lands Total Area (including Total Area District. ind hfiHon fofp.lhlio all Tenures available of Area occupied in Land FrPAhnM Pnroosef (exclusive of for future Native Land. by Rivers, District, ireenoid. purposes. Reserves leased Disposal. Lakes, Roads, by Crown). Ac). Acres. Acres. i Acres. Acres. Acres. ! Acres. Acres. North Auckland .. 2,474,122 430,287: 441,850 311,435 603,078 217,428 4,478,200 Auckland .. .. 2,525,591 785,329 1,005,464 1,141,271 2,153,130 609,788 8,220,573 Gisborne .. .. 1,122,714 424,540 519,815 129,741 1,068,876 j 253,805 3,519,491 Hawke'sBay.. .. 1,534,753 200,149 1 586,764 112,989 397,246! 82,420 2,914,321 Taranaki .. .. 1,118,030 339,754 i 575,458 120,278 182,212 1 68,699 2,404,431 Wellington* .. .. 3,387,707 1,008,477 868,516 127,107 1,426,667 232,595 7,051,069 Nelson .. .. 634,177 2,346,666 860,716 216,902 30,629 625,910 4,715,000 Marlborough.. .. 785,861 354,039! 1,515,702 10,512 .. ! 101,886 2,768,000 Westland .. .. 158,053 2,022,609 863,819 349,609 .. 469,288 3,863,378 Canterbury .. .. 3,576,552 1,398,070 3,960,491 59,360 .. 483.957 9,478,430 Otago .. .. 1,976,933 953,936 5,472,079 39,276 .. J 651,898 9,094,122 Southland .. .. 1,841,567 4,245,173 1,549,094 162,816 .. I 84,597 7,883,247 Totals.. .. 21,136,060 14,509,029 18,219,768 2,781,296 5,861,838 3,882,271 66,390,262 * Includes Chatham Islands.