C.—lA.

Town Scheme Plans. The following table sets out in summary form the number of town scheme plans dealt with under section 16 of the Land Act, 1924 : —

Table 1d. —Summary of Town Scheme Subdivisions dealt with under Section 16 of the Land Act, 1924, for the Year ended 31st March, 1940.

There has been a considerable falling off in the area and number of lots dealt with as compared with the previous year. The area dealt with has declined approximately 30 per cent, and the number of lots approximately 25 per cent. _ The majority of the plans comprised small subdivisions or resubdivisions, with a resulting decrease in the percentage of area set aside as recreation reserves and open spaces. The area set aside for new roads represents approximately 5| miles of new road for subdivisional purposes. Centennial Exhibition. The Department was responsible for the layout of a display in the Government Court of the Centennial Exhibition. The exhibit was designed to illustrate the progress made over the past century in the types of equipment used in the land surveys of New Zealand and to demonstrate in educational form the methods used by the Department in survey plan preparation and map production. In addition to the exhibit, a special film, called " Boundaries," was produced by the studio staff of the Industries and Commerce, Tourist and Publicity Department picturizing the various activities of the Department in the field and in the office. This film was screened periodically in the cinema attached to the Government Court. Expenditure. Salary expenditure shows a slight increase on the previous year's total (see Tables 1e and If). The major portion of the expenditure has been devoted to the survey, plan-preparation, and planexamination work. There are still considerable arrears in this work, with the consequent falling behind of general mapping and recording work. The major portion of the expenditure under the heading of " Mapping " has been incurred in the preparation of the Centennial Atlas and topographical maps. General. The uniform instructions issued to district offices have met with general satisfaction, the Inspecting Draughtsman (Mr. E. C. Airey) visiting all offices during the year to give advice as to the practical application of these instructions. I wish to express my appreciation of the loyal co-operation and assistance given and the excellent standard of the work produced by the Head Office draughting staff during the past year.

8

Number Number District. of Sal^We New Roads. Reserves. (pfSgV Saleable Lots. Total Areas. 8 * Lots. A. R. P. A. R. T. A. R. P. A. R. P. Auckland and North Auckland 116 822 29 0 30-9 8 3 28-6 3 271 2 30-0 309 3 09-5 Gisborne 7 21 .. .. .. 28 3 34 5 28 3 34-5 Hawk?sBav 7 70 .. .. ..20 0 28-3 20 0 28-3 Taranaki " " 5 11 .. 0 0 13-0 3 2 3 33-7 3 0 06-7 Wellington:: .. .. 23 204 3 3 06-2 1 2 15-5 2 62 2 09-9 67 3 31-6 Marlborough .. •• 1 2 •• •• 11 1 Marlborough u n5 3 0 32 . 3 6 0 12-0 18 34 0 20-6 43 1 24-9 Westland .. .. -• 3 8 0 0 06-6 .. .. 1 0 34-5 1 1 01-1 Canterbury •• •• 31 174 0 3 30-7 1 3 09-5 4 48 2 32-7 51 1 32-9 Canterbury ..16 61 0 0 24-5 0 0 38-5 2 14 3 18-9 15 1 01-9 Southland 7 101 4 3 31-7 0 3 35-5 5 21 3 19-0 27 3 06-2 Totals .. .. 227 1,589 42 1 02-9 19 2 32-6 4 508 2 00-5 570 1 36-0