C—l.

Staff Employment. At the Ist April, 1929, the staff of the Department numbered 629 permanent and 86 temporary officers. Some 19 new appointments to the permanent staff were made during the year, and 10 officers were transferred from other Departments. On the other hand, 14 officers resigned, 3 retired, and 7 were transferred to other Departments, while 6 deaths occurred during the year amongst members of the staff. At the 31st March, 1930, the staff numbered 628 permanent and 93 temporary officers. Departmental Changes. The retirements during the year were those of Mr. R. S. Galbraith, Commissioner of Crown Lands and Chief Surveyor, Dunedin ; Mr. W. T. Morpeth, Commissioner of Crown Lands and Chief Surveyor, Hokitika ; and Mr. J. G. Carpenter, Clerk, North Auckland. Messrs. Galbraith and Morpet h had served the Department faithfully and well in various capacities for over forty-six and forty-four years respectively. The Department regrets to record the deaths during the year of the following officers : Messrs. W. E. Allen, Draughtsman, New Plymouth ; F. Bates, Draughtsman, Auckland ; C. A. Thomas, Draughtsman, Auckland ; W. H. B. Brookes, Clerk, North Auckland ; L. L. Smith, Clerk, New Plymouth ; and J. Sainsbury, Survey Cadet, Auckland. Transfers to other Departments included those of Messrs. J. H. Watson and P. Barry to the Native Department.

Senior Appointments and Promotions.

Messrs. H. M. Smith, A. M. Linton, and D. L. Leach passed the Surveyors' Examination during the year, and were appointed as surveyors on the Ist November, 1929. Reports on Cognate Subjects. As in former years, separate reports are required to be laid before Parliament in connection with many of the operations carried out by the Department. They comprise : — Surveys. —The report by the Surveyor-General on the work of the survey (or technical) branch of the Department is submitted in parliamentary paper C.-la. Swamp - drainage. —The report required by the Swamp Drainage Act, 1915, is contained in parliamentary paper C.-4. Discharged Soldiers Settlement. —The annual report under the Discharged Soldiers Settlement Act, 1915, is furnished by the Department in parliamentary paper C.-9. Scenery-preservation. —The statutory report containing details of reservations and statement of accounts appears in parliamentary paper C.-B. Drainage Operations in Hauraki Plains. —A report by the Chief Drainage Engineer on this subject appears in parliamentary paper C.-8. Public Domains. —A brief summary of the year's operations is given in parliamentary paper C.-10. Rangitaiki Land Drainage. —The annual report on the operations in the Rangitaiki Plains is given in parliamentary paper o.—ll. Kauri-gum Industry. —The annual report under the Kauri-gum Industry Amendment Act, 1914, is given in parliamentary paper C.-12. National Endowments. —The annual report required by section 302 of the Land Act, 1924, appears in parliamentary paper 0.-14.

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Officer appointed. Previous Position. Position to which appointed. Date. H. E. Walshe .., N. C. Kensington Chief Draughtsman, Head Office Commissioner of Crown Lands and Chief Surveyor, Invercargill Surveyor, Wellington Surveyor-General Commissioner of Crown Lands and Chief Surveyor, Dunedin Chief Draughtsman and Land Transfer Draughtsman, Blenheim Chief Draughtsman, Head Office Chief Draughtsman, Christchurch 1/4/29 1/9/29 G. I. Martin 26/9/29 A. J. Wicks C. G. S. Ellis .. Chief Draughtsman, Christchurch Land Transfer Draughtsman, New Plymouth Draughtsman and Computer, Invercargill Chief Clerk and Receiver of Land Revenue, Dunedin Senior Clerk, Auckland 2/10/29 1/10/29 C. K. Robinson.. Land Transfer Draughtsman, New Plymouth Commissioner of Crown Lands, Invercargill Chief Clerk and Receiver of Land Revenue, Nelson Chief Clerk and Receiver of Land Revenue, Dunedin 11/10/29 J. Macdonald 12/12/29 H. C. Hulme .. 22/1/30 T. Pound Chief Clerk and Receiver of Land Revenue, Invercargill 10/3/30