c.—ia.

The area of Native land placed on diagrams amounts to 1,723 acres. Two hundred and eighteen plans have been forwarded for use at Native Land Courts. The survey costs (including cost of examination of plans and interest due) collected for ordinary Native Land Court and west coast settlement surveys amounted to £357 9s. 6d. Owing to the isolation of this office with regard to the Native Land Court officials, solicitors, and surveyors, a great deal of extra correspondence and supply of data is required to be supplied. The outward correspondence entailed the writing of 392 letters. Five vouchers, amounting to £95 13s. 6d., covering twelve subdivisions and totalling 552 acres, have been prepared in this branch and sent on to the Accountant for payment to contract surveyors. When necessary, an officer has attended the sittings of the Native Land Court for the purpose of producing plans and giving assistance to the Court and carrying out usual detail work. Nine applications for charging orders amounting to £18 16s. lOd. were forwarded to the Native Land Court, and thirteen liens amounting to £80 os. Id. covering thirteen subdivisions were released. Eighteen plans covering an area of 3,506 acres were compiled for Native Land Court use. Two plans for office record and ten tracings have also been made in this branch during the year.

WELLINGTON LAND DISTRICT. (J. D. Clapperton, Chief Surveyor.) Field-work. Triangulation.—Work under this heading comprises 366 square miles of revision near Wellington. New signals have been built on four trigs., and much bush-cutting is involved. This work is not yet completed. Standard Surveys.—The Western Hutt Road widening survey for the Public Works Department incorporates a standard traverse—6 miles—which was completed this year. Other standard work comprises protective traverses alongside existing standards which are likely to be disturbed by road-improvements. A total of 10 miles 35 chains has been completed in Greytown, Aslihurst, and the Feilding district. Rural Surveys. —Various small areas, as follows—Land for reserve at Paremata Redoubt; land for Ohakea Aerodrome, near Bulls ; land for Natives near Foxton ; part of Avery Estate, Pahiatua, showing river erosion ; part of Ahiaruhe Settlement, Carterton showing erosion : A total of 235 acres. Suburban Surveys.—Several small areas, comprising part Hutt Valley Settlement industrial area, land donated at White's Line. East for scenic reserve, land in Ngaio Gorge for oil depot, a total of 54 acres. Town Surveys. —Most of the work under this heading was housing subdivision, which is given under the next heading. The balance comprises various isolated areas —Part Section 531, Town of Wellington, for Government buildings ; part Hutt Valley Settlement; old Post-office site at Pahiatua ; police-station site at National Park ; two small areas at Wilkinson's corner, National Park ; bathsite at Ohakune : A total of 1 acre 1 rood 30 perches. Housing Surveys. —Much work was undertaken in this connection, the following areas having been cut up in accordance with the requirements of the Housing Construction Department — Sunshine Estate, Karori; Nicholls Estate, Nevay Road, Miramar ; Cudby Berkett Estate, Malone Road, Lower Hutt; Fearon's area at Carterton ; Gear Co.'s area adjoining Lever Bros., Petone ; Lucas' area, Calcutta Street, Khandallah ; part of Pitt Settlement, Randwick Road, Lower Hutt; Robertson's Estate, Waiwhetu Road, Lower Hutt; Brightacre's Estate, Campbell Street, Karori; Johnsonville area ; Kells and Wilkinson area, Malone Road, Lower Hutt; Ngaio Garden Suburb, Karamu Street; Wairarapa's Trading Co.'s area, Featherston : A total of 81 acres and 326 sections. In addition to the above, various areas offered by the public for housing have been inspected and reported on, and amendments have been made to several subdivisions at the request of the Housing Department. Housing surveys in Palmerston North, Wanganui &c., have been made by private surveyors, whose accounts at Government schedule rates have been paid by the Housing Department. Native Surveys. —One of these (of part Raetihi Block) was made by a staff surveyor, and four others by private surveyors, a total of 3,875 acres and fourteen partitions. Other Native plans received were office compilations. Field Inspections. —An inspection was made of a survey of road deviation. Roads.—Road widening and deviation surveys for Public Works Department were Western Hutt Road, 6 miles ; Haywards-Pahautanui Road, 7 miles ; new Silverstream Bridge Road, 15 miles ; stock route in Ngahauranga Gorge, 10 chains. Other road surveys consisted of the placing of reference tubes to protect existing work along roads which are being reconstructed, sealed, &c., as follows —Gladstone - East Coast Road, 3 miles 20 chains ; Western Lake Road, 4 miles 10 chains ; Linton - Palmerston North, 1 mile 60 chains ; Stewarts Line, 2 miles ; Wanganui-Fordell, 5 miles 12 chains : Total mileage, 29 miles 47 chains. Office-work. Draughting-room.—Forty-chain maps of Mangawhero, Maungakaretu, Tiriraukawa, Pukeokahu, Horotea, and Taumata Survey Districts, also Wellington street map, have been revised. Plans compiled in office were twelve Crown, thirteen other Departments, five Native, and three land transfer, a total of thirty-three.

8