C—lA

Tidal Analysis Inspections of the tide-gauges at Westport and Lyttelton were made by the Chief Computer. No analyses for Westport have been made since 1922, but it is now intended to resume them with a new series commencing with the year 1938 as soon as the staffingposition permits. The tidal analysis for Auckland, 1941, was repeated, using the method devised by the Liverpool Tidal Institute, and the hourly heights at Bluff for the year 1946 were measured and tabulated in readiness for analysis. Photogrammetric Control The co-ordinates of 15 runs, totalling 328 photographs, were computed in connection with topographical mapping. Aerial Mapping Branch The main work has been in the plotting and contouring of the basic topographical work for the 1 : 25000 sheets of areas required by the State Forest Service and the Geological Survey. The drawings of five 1 : 25000 sheets were completed —Petone, Christehurch, Greytown, Carterton, and Tuhirangi —and during the year three of the above sheets—Petone, Carterton, and Christehurch —were published, making the total of sheets now issued thirty-five. The area covered by new photography was 4,740 square miles at a cost of £14,612, of which £1,554 was for special photography for other Departments. A total of 7,898 new prints were entered in the register and 7,128 were numbered and recorded. Altogether, 14,678 contact prints, 179 enlargements, and 214 mosaics were sold to other Departments and the public for a sum of £5,062. After payment of processingcharges, £3,211 was available for credit towards the initial cost of photography. During the year, 2,000 contact prints, 398 enlargements, 72 negatives, 40 gestafilms, and 100 dia positives were made by the branch and, in addition, 62 mosaics were built for other Departments. The preparation of twenty-eight 1 : 25000 sheets are in hand, five of which are well advanced. Draughting and Computing Examinations The examinations were held in October, when 97 candidates presented themselves. Passes were obtained as follows : First-grade Draughting, 8 ; Second-grade Draughting, 7 ; Second-grade Computing, 28. Many partial passes were granted. NEW ZEALAND GEOGRAPHIC BOARD The New Zealand Geographic Board, constituted under the provisions of the New Zealand Geographic Board Act, 1946, held its first meeting on 24th and 25th July, 1947. The Board considered 150 place-names submitted from various sources, of which 47 were approved and advertised for objection in the New Zealand Gazette of 18th December, 1947. Of the balance, 70 names were deferred for further consideration, while the balance of 33 were rejected. - In accordance with the requirements of the Act, the 1,700 names approved by the Honorary Geographic Board between the years 1924 and 1946 have been prepared for gazettal and will be published at an early date. The members of the newly constituted Board are : Messrs. R. G. Dick (SurveyorGeneral), Chairman ; J. W. Heenan, C.8.E., LL.B. ; Sir Apirana T. Ngata, Kt., M.A., LL.B. ; Pei te H. Jones ; Arthur P. Harper, B.A. ; and Johannes C. Andersen, M.8.E., F.R.S.N.Z. Mr. C. S. Wood, Lands and Survey Department is the official Secretary.

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