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Rural Surveys.—These consist of 2 surveys for subdivision of a pastoral run, 1 survey of an education reserve, 2 surveys for exchange purposes, 2 resubdivisions of settlement land, and 1 survey of river erosion : total area (approximately), 17,476 acres. Native Surveys.-- These consist of 6 surveys, of a total area of approximately 318 acres, carried out under Native Land Court partition orders. Other Work. —This consists of 1 compass survey, 2 contour surveys necessary for the proper layingout of extension of townships at Arthurs Pass and Hanmer, 4 investigation surveys, supervision of standard stones and permanent survey marks, and reinstatement of same where necessary. Office-work.- General : A slight falling-off in plans examined and passed is shown for this year, being a total of 67, as against 80 for last year. The number of diagrams placed on instruments of title remains about the same, being 458, as against 452 for last year. 843 miscellaneous tracings were prepared during the year, and 70 town-plan schemes were dealt with. Very little photo-lithographic work was done during the year, there being only 2 sale plans prepared ; this is due to the economical practice of using the newspapers for advertising, and consequently pull-offs are used instead of sale posters. Two standard publications were prepared, being new lithographic maps of the Borough of Waimate and Upper Ashley Survey District; 2 counties, 2 survey districts were revised during the year, and 1 county is in hand ;19 20-chain record maps were compiled and 4 are in hand, while 1 40chain record map was redrawn. The usual routine work, such as recording, searching, compiling, miscellaneous, &c., has been well maintained and is steadily increasing, it being often found necessary to divert officers doing photo-lithography to this work. Land Transfer :Tn this branch 479 plans were examined and passed, 7,448 diagrams were examined and placed on instruments of title, and 2,841 deeds and other instruments examined and passed. The diagrams drawn include 1,552 certificates under the Compulsory Registration Act; 165 tracings were prepared for the Valuation Department. In addition to current recording of plans', road dealings, Proclamations, &c., 6 new record maps were prepared, besides renewing 10 worn maps, and various tracings were prepared for the purpose of special notice, &c. Staff. —There has been no change in the staff during the year, and I have pleasure in recording that Mr. L. Harding and Mr. E. Pfankuch succeeded in passing the draughtsman's examination (second class), and Mr. C. B. Robson the computer's examination (second class). Otago Land District (H. S. Galuraith, Chief Surveyor). Triangulation. —The only work of this class undertaken during the year was the establishment by Mr. D. M. Greig of a station in Waipahi Survey District on a new position, and a connecting triangle to the Town of Waipahi. 1 would again urge the need of a systematic revision of the trigonometrical work throughout Otago. The work, with one or two exceptions, is old and not up to the standard of accuracy required under modern conditions. Native Surveys.—An area of 125 acres, divided into 12 sections, being partition surveys carried out under Court Orders, was done by Mr. 1). M. Greig in the Waikouaiti Native Reserve. Settlement Surveys. —An area of 5,346 acres was put through, Mr. Phillipps doing 2,316 acres and Mr. Greig 3,030. Of the former, 2,268 acres consisted of two sections cut off one of the Bannock burn Runs, and the rest of small areas. The 3,030 acres done by Mr. Greig included the subdivision of the Tuapeka Commonage, 1,366 acres. This area was to a large extent covered with thick scrub and entailed a lot of cutting. The balance, excepting Run 51b, of 1,397 acres, was made up of small spotting surveys scattered over a wide area. Mining.- This work has been done by private surveyors acting on behalf of applicants. Roads.—Mr. Phillipps did 97 chains of road-deviation for the Vincent County, and 47 chains of deviation of the Muddy Creek Sludge Channel at Lauder. Field Inspections - -Three inspections were done by Mr. Greig, the first to determine the accuracy of certain points in. the Town of Waipahi adopted by Mr. James Adam, in connection with a deviation of the main highway. Advantage was taken of the opportunity to definitely fix some of the principal corners of the town and permanently mark them. An inspection was made of a survey by Mr. L. O. Beal in the Arcade, Dunedin, and of a survey by Mr. P. J. Williams at Sawyer's Bay. You have been advised of the result of these inspections. Office-work. —The volume of office-work put through during the year was up to the average, a special effort being made to bring the Land Transfer record maps up to date by getting the older Land Transfer surveys recorded. lam able to report that 21 districts have been dealt with as opportunity permitted. The work of preparing duplicate copies of the Dunedin standard survey plans has also gone on in the spare time, 14 sheets having been traced and mounted. The duplicates already completed have been the means of saving the original sheets from much wear. It is hoped to have them all copied shortly. The revision of the 40-chain district maps for photo-litho and the preparation of fresh drawings for publication is proceeding steadily,, the following districts having been redrawn : Cairnhill, Wilkin and Young, McKerrow and Haast, Clutha and South Molyneux. The maps of Benger, Bannockburn, and Tuapeka East were revised. In addition to these, Town of Pembroke and Borough of Lawrence were drawn, and 11 sale posters made. The Land Office maps were renewed as required, 9 additional maps being supplied. Plans for the field staff and plotting other working-plans amounted to 47 sheets in all. The plans received from staff and private surveyors for examination and approval were—Rural, 40 ; road and railway, 53 ; trig. 1 ; Native, 3 ; mining, 3 ; town, 6 : Land Transfer, 115. Diagrams were placed on instruments of title as follows : Warrant certificates of title, 158 ; leases and licenses, 562 : Land Transfer certificates of title. 3,636 : Native Court orders, 102 • and miscellaneous, 9. A total of 748 working and general tracings were made, and 326 diagrams were prepared of land transactions for Valuation Department, and 175 deposited plans traced for the same ; also 26 tracings in triplicate and schedules for road Proclamations.

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