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1931. NEW ZEALAND.

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

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

CONTENTS. General Report :— page General Report—continued. Summary .. .. .. ..1 page ' Retirements .. .. .. 5 Minor Triangulation .. .. 2 Appreciation .. .. .. 5 Topographical Survey .. .. .. 2 Appendix Settlement Surveys .. .. .. 2 Head Office, Draughting Branch .. .. 9 Native Land Court Surveys .. .. 2 Geodetic Triangulation 2 executed .. ..2 Standard Surveys .. .. .. 3 () B.—Rural Surveys Area .. .. 2 Field Inspections .... .. 3 „ I.—Head Office Staff .. .. .. 5 Magnetic Survey .. .. .. 3 » 2.—Areas surveyed for Lands and Survey , „ . Departmen . . .. 6 survey .. .. .. .. i g—Areas surveyed for other Departments 7 Proposed Operations '.. .. 4 „ 4.—Work on hand .. .. 8 General .. .. .. .. 5 „ s.—Office-work .. .. .. 8

The Surveyor-General to the Hon. the Minister of Lands. Sib,, — Wellington, 21st July, 1931. I have the honour to present herewith the report on survey operations for the year ended 31st March, 1931. I have, &c., H. E. Walshe, The Hon. E. A. Ransom, Minister of Lands. Surveyor-General.

REPORT. A summary of the operations carried out for the year ended 31st March, 1931, follows, grouped under appropriate headings. A concise summary of the field-work conpleted during the year is tabulated in Tables A, B, and 1 to 5 herewith. Table A shows that the average costs remain much the same as formerly, with the exception of the Native Land Court surveys, where the increased area and larger blocks dealt with reduced the cost per acre to less than one-half that of the previous year. Table B shows that a much larger area of both Crown lands and Native lands has been surveyed during this year than was done last year, North Auckland and Otago accounting for the major part of the increase in Crown lands and Auckland for the increase in Native lands.

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