✨ Survey Department Report
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The introduction of the Lithographic press in connection with the Survey Department, will, it is hoped be of service in making the records more available to the public; also, in making the unsold and newly surveyed lands more accessable to purchasers. It is to be hoped that this year the press will pay itself in the sale of maps.
Annexed, I have forwarded a return of Section Surveys prepared by Mr. Ross. By it, it will appear, that 519,918 acres had been surveyed, and marked off into sections before the separation of Southland, but 130,347 acres ought properly to be deducted from that amount, being the extent of survey in the 2,000 acre blocks, which are not sections in the usual acceptation of the term. With this reservation it will be seen, that 298,076 acres have been sectionized in Otago, and 96,566 acres in Southland, This does not include "spotting" surveys, whose area however is very limited, and which will all require to be re-surveyed, as the general survey extends over them.
Before concluding, I deem it my duty to again represent the faulty system of preparing Crown Grants. The plans on the Crown Grants are useless to Surveyors, and the descriptions lengthy and unintelligible, and are consequently of no use to the holder. The result is, that when boundaries become obliterated, reference always requires to be made to the working plan in this office—thus, showing the necessity of having copies of these on the Crown Grants themselves. It is to be hoped that a more scientific system will be approved of in this brauch of the Survey Department, as at present much valuable time is lost in complying with the requirements of the Authorities of the Crown Land Office at the Capital of New Zealand.
I have the honour to be, Sir,
Your most obedient Servant,
J. T. THOMSON,
Chief Surveyor.
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Otago Provincial Gazette 1861, No 155
✨ LLM interpretation of page content
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Report on Surveys of the Otago Survey Staff
(continued from previous page)
🗺️ Lands, Settlement & Survey20 August 1861
Survey, Otago, Southland, Lithographic press, Crown Grants, Land records
- Mr. Ross, Prepared return of Section Surveys
- J. T. Thomson, Chief Surveyor, author of report
- J. T. Thomson, Chief Surveyor