REPORT ON PUKETAPU SURVEYS.

SIR,—I have the honor to report now the results of the re-survey, made by Mr. Henry Williams, of portions of the Puketapu District, which was found necessary owing to some discrepancies having been discovered between the Crown Grants and the boundaries of several Blocks, as pointed out by the Government Surveys.

The Crown Grant Blocks, on which discrepancies were found, are Blocks No. 25 (owned by Peter Bourke alias Kent), Blocks Nos. 32, 46 and 33A (the property of Mr. Newton), and Block No. 73 (the property of Major Whitmore.)

All those Blocks have been surveyed more than four years ago by Government Surveyors, and the boundaries pointed out to the proprietors, who erected in several instances boundary fences which are now proved not in accordance with the Crown Grants.

On the annexed plan the lines tinted pink show the lands as granted, while the yellow lines show the boundaries pointed out erroneously by the Government Surveyors, on which the fences are likewise shown.

The boundaries of Block No. 25 (Bourke) are not exactly in accordance with the Crown Grant, a copy of which is attached, as it is impossible, with the road as given starting point, to construct the block precisely as granted, but shape and area are as nearly so as practicable. The road itself forming the eastern boundary of the block appears somewhat different on the Grant, which accounts to some extent for the discrepancy. Mistakes in the lengths of lines figured on the Grants are frequently caused by those lines being merely scaled from the maps, which system, although liable to minor errors owing to the influence of atmosphere, and wear upon maps, could scarcely be dispensed with in rough lands sold at 5s. per acre.

Considering that most surveys in the Puketapu district were made over 8 or 10 years ago, when the lands were overgrown with scrub and fern, it is unreasonable to expect that every line should measure exactly as described on the Grant; in fact, if minute correctness would have been expected on the surveys of 5s. land, the expenses would have swallowed up, in a good many instances, not only the whole amount paid to Government for the land, but would have even exceeded that.

At present, when the country is opened up, when there are numerous fixed starting points, greater accuracy must be looked for, but comparatively slight discrepancies as those between the tinted pink line and the Grant, as well as the deficiency of 2 acres, should be considered as covered by the “more or less” clause of the Crown Grants.

On the erroneous Western boundary of this Block are 42½ chains of fencing erected, which will require shifting about 2½ chains westward.

Blocks 33A and 73.—The Western boundary of Block 33A (Mr. Newton), and consequently the Eastern of Block 73 (Major Whitmore), and Block 51 (Mr. William Smith), has been marked off wrongly, and has been pointed out to Mr. Newton by Mr. Cherry, and subsequently 137 chains of fencing have been erected which require shifting Westward about 5 chains. In addition to the 137 chains mentioned, 5½ chains erected by Mr. William Smith will require shifting.

Besides the errors mentioned, some minor discrepancies have been discovered, but so small that, according to my opinion, they must be considered as covered by the “more or less” clause of the Crown Grants. For instance, Block 51, of Mr. Wm. Smith, should be 420 acres, while its actual measurement is only 417 acres. Blocks 15 and 50 (late Chase, now Breingan) should contain 66 acres, while they measure at present only 63 acres, but the encroachment of the Tutaekari since survey, accounts for portion of the discrepancy.

Blocks 31 and 53 (Mr. Breingan’s property) are marked upon the ground in accordance with the Grant, but the area on the given boundaries is less than that named in the body of the Grant, which tallies with the applications. Block 31 should be 85 acres, while it contains only 74 acres 1 rood, and Block 53 should be 88 acres, while it contains only 84 acres 1 rood; both Blocks are contained in Grant No. 924, which therefore shows a total deficiency of 14 acres 2 roods.