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shortly proceed to observe the included angles, and fill in the detail sketching of his work. This triangulation includes the Oreti Valley to the Elbow, and the whole of the Waimea Plains to the Ma-tanra River, and it will close with the Waimumu triangulation through Hedgehope, Ships-cone, and East Peak, and with the Oreti Plain triangulation at the Bare Hill, 2 1/2 miles to the north of Woody Knoll.

This will include the whole of the agricultural land round the Hokanui Hills, as well as the Waimea Plains. The secondary triangles across the Hokanui Hills to connect the primary triangles in the valleys, will necessarily be much larger than those which can be obtained in the Oreti Valley, or on the Waimea Plains.

Mr. McArthur had the misfortune to have his camp burned down during one of the late gales, it does not seem to have arisen from any carelessness, as it happened at a temporary out camp, in very high grass and flax, under the Hokanui Hills. It appears that the cook (the only man in the camp at the time), was engaged in mixing bread in one of the tents, and a spark from the fire must have ignited the high grass. The strong wind prevailing at the time fanned it immediately into a flame, that single handed he was unable to cope with. However with considerable presence of mind, he managed to save the field books, papers and instruments of Mr. McArthur’s, so the only loss will be the tents and camping utensils, which can be easily replaced.

Mr. H. Mitchell is at present engaged in laying out the northern boundary line of the Oreti District, and Aparima Hundreds. It is of great importance that this line which is of considerable length, and forms the boundary between the hundreds and runs, should be laid out with great accuracy. It will also be of considerable use in showing intending purchasers the limits of the Hundreds.

Whilst in the district, Mr. Mitchell will lay out the line of road from Ray’s Bush on the Aparima to the Winton township. The utility and practicability of this line of road, I reported to the late chief surveyor, on the completion of my trigonometrical survey. A copy of this report was forwarded to your Honor, so I need not recapitulate the advantages of this line of road.

On the completion of these surveys, I contemplate sending Mr. Mitchell, who has proved himself a most competent and valuable surveyor, (and who is in every way fitted to be entrusted with the work) to Stewart’s Island, to lay off part of a township with suburban allotments at Port William, to form the nucleus of a survey, that can be extended from time to time, as the advancement of Stewart’s Island may require.

Mr. Weetman is now engaged in finishing the maps of the land he surveyed in the Aparima Hundreds, and as he is a most excellent and skilful draughtsman, I have employed him in making the topographical map of the Province, for the International Exhibition of New Zealand.

Mr. Weetman was engaged for many years on the survey staff in Tasmania, and is a most careful and experienced surveyor, and in accordance with the wish of the late chief surveyor, he will be employed during the ensuing summer, in commencing the trigonometrical survey of the Waiau Plains. Mr. C. Johnstone will then be the only disengaged officer on the staff, to survey the arrears of sold land, and any unsurveyed allotments that may be purchased under the Amended Waste Lands Act. When not engaged in this work, he will be employed in laying out any of the main roads in the Province, or traversing some of the principal rivers.

Mr. Stevens, the senior draughtsman, will be engaged in making the district and compiling the Crown Grant Record maps.

Mr. Mc Gowan, the junior draughtsman, will be fully occupied in making the transfers for the lithographic maps, and the different forms for the Government Departments, and in filling in the plans on the Crown Grants.

Mr. Wright, the accountant in the survey department, in addition to his ordinary duties, will have the engrossing of the Crown Grants and the copies, both for General Government and this office. These will completely occupy his time, but I hope that shortly I shall be able to inform your Honor that the arrears of the Crown Grants are worked up, and forwarded to Auckland.

The present system adopted by order of the General Government, of not making the Crown Grants of town sections, until they are paid for, will necessarily cause this branch of the survey department to get very much in arrear, as not one tenth part of the Crown Grants of sections sold in the various townships, have ever been applied or paid for; I trust, that at some future period, some other plan will be devised to compel holders of Crown Grants to