C.—la.

1927. NE W ZEALAND.

DEPARTMENT OF LANDS AND SURVEY. SURVEYS (ANNUAL REPORT ON).

Presented to both Homes of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

CONTENTS. General Report :— page Appendix ll—continued. page Summary.. .. .. ..' ~ 1 Extracts from Chief Surveyors' Reports—continued. Minor Triangula tion .. .. ..2 Auckland .. .. .. ..11 Settlement Surveys .. .. 2 Gisborne .. .. .. .. .. 13 Native Land Court Surveys .. .. 2 Hawke's Bay .. .. .. .. 13 Geodetic Triangulation .. .. 2 Taranaki .. .. .. .. 14 Standard Surveys .. .. .. 2 Wellington . . .. . . .. 16 Topographical Survey .. .. .. 3 Marlborough .. .. .. .. 17 Field Inspections .. .. .. 3 Nelson .. .. .. .. ..17 Tidal Survey .. .. .. 3 Westland .. .. .. .. .. 18 Magnetic Survey .. .. .. 4 Canterbury .. .. .. .. 18 Honorary Geographic Board .. .. 5 Otago .. .. .. .. .. 19 ■ Proposed Operations .. .. 5 Southland .. .. .. .. 19 General .. .. .. .. 6 Appendix III: — Staff Surveyors Board .. .. .. ..20 Retirements .. .. .. .. 6 Appointments, &c... .. .. 7 ' Obituary .. .. .. .. 7 Table A.—Field-work executed .. .. 2 Appreciation .. .. .. 7 " nra! Surveys Area .. .. 2 „ C.—Tidal Harmonic Constants.. .. 3 , , „ D.—Mean Values, Magnetic Elements .. 4 A ™L«T n v , f - R . 1n „ 1.-Head Office Staff 7 Head Office, Draughting Branch .. .. 10 (> 2 .—.Areas surveyed for Lands and Survey Department .. .. 8 Appendix II: — „ 3. —Areas surveyed for other Departments 9 Extracts from Chief Surveyors' Reports— „ 4.—Work on Hand .. . . .. 9 North Auckland .. .. .. ..11 „ o.—Office-work .. .. ..10

The Surveyor-General to the Hon. the Minister of Lands. Sir, — . Wellington, 2nd July, 1927. I have the honour to present herewith the report on survey operations for the year ended 31st March, 1927. I have, &c., W. T. Neill, Surveyor-General. Hon. A. D. McLeod, Minister of Lands.

REPORT. The main parts of the report for the year ending the 31st March, 1927, comprise a summary of the operations of the field-parties, grouped under appropriate headings, a brief account of the office-work performed, together with extracts from the reports of the various Chief Surveyors. The attached tables, A and B, and 1 to 5 inclusive, contain a concise summary of the amount of work completed during the year under review. Fuller details are given in the reports by the Chief Surveyors appended hereto. A comparison of Table A with the similar table last year shows that, while the area of town and suburban lands has increased, the average costs have considerably decreased, and that the area of rural and Native lands have decreased considerably, the average costs per acre being practically unchanged. Table B shows the areas of rural and of Native lands surveyed in the various land districts. Both these show a decrease oij last year—the rural of 53,705 acres, and Native, 59,919 acres. I—C. la.