5

C—lA.

Proclamation of Roads. —During the past year a number of applications for the Proclamation of road-lines laid off by the Native Land Court under sections 48, 49, 50, and 52, of the Native Land Amendment Act, 1913, were considered and dealt with. Statutory notices of the intention to proclaim the road-lines as public roads, together with plans showing the location of same, were forwarded to the local authorities of the districts affected in terms of section 15 of the Native Land Amendment Act, 1914, and in the majority of cases no objections were raised to the Proclamation of the road-lines as public highways. Under the Land Transfer Act, 1915, 189 warrants for the issue of certificates of title were examined and certified to in terms of section 13 of the Act. A number of applications to bring land under the provisions of the Land Transfer Act were examined and approved of in terms of section 19 of the Act. Magnetic Observatory. —A. three component Galitzin type seismograph is now on order from the makers (the Cambridge Instrument Co., London), and it is proposed, to instal it in the Magnetic Observatory, Christchurch, on arrival. The present instrument (an old type Milne instrument) will be available for use in recording local shocks whenever found necessary. International Geodetic and Geophysical Union. —During the year I was appointed to represent the Department on the Permanent Committee of the Section of Geodesy, and the Dominion will be officially consulted in regard to matters affecting international geodesy. International Geographical Union. —The formation of a national committee is still under consideration, and it is anticipated that the matter will be submitted for your decision at an early date. Staff. Retirements. —R. S. Galbraith : Mr. Galbraith joined the Department as a Cadet in 1883. Passing his examination as a surveyor, he was appointed Assistant Surveyor in the Department in 1890, District Surveyor in 1902, and Inspecting Surveyor in 1911. He carried out many surveys, including important underground engineering surveys in the Auckland District. Mr. Galbraith held the position of Chief Draughtsman at Invercargill and Wellington, and of Commissioner of Crown Lands and Chief Surveyor at Hokitika, Invercargill, and Dunedin. It can be said that in every case his professional and administrative capacity has been of the highest order, and that on relinquishing his duties he left an honourable and worthy record in the Department. W. T. Morpeth : Mr. W. T. Morpeth joined the Department as a Clerical Cadet in 1886. Later, joining the field staff and passing his professional examination as a surveyor, he was attached to the, Wellington Office. In 1893 Mr. Morpeth was transferred to the Taranaki District, where he carried out many important surveys. In 1908, at his request, he joined the Napier Office Staff as Computer, and was later appointed to the Auckland Office as Draughtsman in Charge of the Road-legalization Branch; the promotion to Land Transfer Draughtsman at Dunedin and Wellington following. Prior to assuming the duties as Commissioner of Crown Lands and Chief Surveyor for the Westland Land District he held the appointment as Chief Draughtsman in' the Wellington Office. In conclusion, it can be said that during Mr. Morpeth's long service with the Department, both in the field and in the office, he carried out his duties in a highly creditable manner. C. Otway : Mr. Otway joined the service in 1900 as a Surveyor in the Invercargill District, and with the exception of a short spell in Otago District has been engaged in that district during the whole of his service. His work, which was of a high order and includes the standard survey of Invercargill; has always been carried out faithfully and well. Resignations. —Messrs. H. H. E. Knight, E. H. Densem, and C. C. Cowell resigned from the service during the year. I regret to record the death of Mr. J. Sainsbury, Field Cadet, who was accidentally drowned. Appreciation. —In conclusion, I wish to bring under your notice the appreciation of the various Chief Surveyors of the manner in which their officers have carried out their duties during the year, and I desire to add my personal thanks to the whole of the technical staff, both office and field, for the efficient manner in which the work has been performed during the year. H. E. AValshe, Surveyor-General.

Table 1.—Return of Field-work executed by Head Office Staff from 1st April, 1929, to 31st March, 1930.

Standard Surveys. Geodetic Trianguli District. Completed. In Progress. Completed. I] Miles. Cost. Miles. I Cost. BjJjW Cost. Bjjjj* £ s. d. I £• s. d. £ s. d. North Auckland .. 36 j 2,145 16 3 75 , 254 12 9 Auckland .. P] 3isborne .. j . Hawke's Bay ..)>.. •. . • .. 17,500 j6,200 0 013,500 Wellington .. I faranaki .. J Southland .. .. .. 86 9,133 9 7 .. _J_ _1|_ ition. a Progress. Cost.' £ s. d.. Other Work. Cost, £ s. d. 372 0 11 2,507 9 9 97 2 5 53 14 5