C.—lA

The number of staff surveyors employed on survey work has been reduced from 35 to 27, due to the promotion of surveyors to executive posts and the transfer of surveyors to purely land-development work. More use has been made of the services of private practising surveyors, the number employed increasing from 52 to 55. It should be noted that there has been a slight increase in survey work for roads and railways due to the resumption of the Public Works Department operations. The post-war period will bring a great influx of survey work as the country resumes its normal public-works programme. To cope with this and the many other survey works that are now held in abeyance the field staff will have to be materially increased. There will be a lapse of a year or more before survey Cadets at present serving with the forces will be able to qualify. Field-work in Hand The following summarizes the field-work for land-title purposes that is at present awaiting action Rural and settlement surveys .. .. .. .. .. 64,530 acres. Maori land surveys .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,826 acres. Road and railway surveys .. .. .. .. .. 107 miles. Town section surveys (housing) .. .. .. .. 2,000 sections. The major portion of the area under rural and settlement surveys includes blocks that have-been purchased but are awaiting other action before final surveys can be put in hand.

Town Scheme Subdivisions The following table summarizes the number of plans, saleable lots, and areas dealt with under the provisions of section 16 of the Land Act, 1924, for the year ended 31st March, 1945: —

This return indicates that there is an ever-increasing demand for house sites outside the limits of municipalities. At no period since prior to the depression years has this demand been greater, the only comparable figure being that of the year 1938-39, when 2,098 saleable lots were dealt with. There is an urgent need for amending legislation to provide for the better control of subdivisions, the making of more adequate provision for the setting-aside of areas for reserves, and the limitation of closer urban development to assure of more economy in roading, and drainage and water-supply services. The following problems have been revealed in dealing with subdivisions during the past year. (1) Approximately 50 per cent, of the areas dealt with are near and adjoining the more closely built up areas of the cities, boroughs, and town districts. The demand for housing sites in these areas is to some extent influenced by the lower rating in the counties. In a number of cases it is evident that the boundaries of the municipalities should be extended to embrace these rapidly developing areas. Drainage and water-supply services within the municipal areas can generally be easily extended to serve these new subdivisions : (2) There is a tendency for the owners of properties adjoining main highways and existing formed roads to subdivide only the land fronting such roads creating a ribbon development that increases the traffic problem, particularly on main highways and adds to the cost of providing the necessary services. Steps have been taken from time to time to limit this development by requiring owners to develop more compact areas and to provide suitable parking spaces and service roads to relieve traffic congestion on main highways : (3) The closer subdivision of small farm areas creates a problem in the provision of reasonable roading lay-outs. Some success has been achieved in requiring adjoining owners to co-operate by providing new roads either on their common boundary or intersecting their properties to assure of future extension. The local authorities concerned can render greater assistance in this respect if they will be prepared to form road links which are no direct benefit to the owner but which would assure of an economic and planned development.

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sss sar iolP1 »™' .Ilk Lota. J "»' A. R. P. Auckland and North Auckland 144 1,522 577 1 12 Gisborne .. .. .. 5 17 5 3 19 Hawke's Bay .. .. 3 9 2 2 34 Taranaki .. .. .. 2 6 3 2 07 Wellington .. .. .. 30 407 167 0 35 Marlborough .. .. 11 40 35 0 18 Nelson .. .. .. 14 67 24 0 19 Westland .. .. .. 3 26 6 3 16 Canterbury .. .. .. 50 431 138 0 26 Otago .. .. .. 9 27 8 2' 24 Southland Totals .. .. 271 2,552 969 2 10