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1874. NEW ZEALAND.

REPORT BY INSPECTOR OF SURVEYS, AND RETURN OF MAPS OF NATIVE LAND CLAIMS RECEIVED AT THE INSPECTOR OF SURVEYS' OFFICE.

Presented, to loth Souses of the General Assembly by command of Sis Excellency.

Mr. T. Heale to the Hon. the Native Ministeb. Sib, — Inspector of Surveys' Office, 26th June, 1874. jpj.GGiy.2 I have the honor to furnish the annual return of the maps of Native land claims, &c, which have been recorded in this office during the year, showing approximately the area of land in each province represented in them. I may observe that of the large area shown in the Province of Wellington, the far greater portion was only shown on a sketch map ; this area will therefore appear again in my return when the survey maps come in. The operation of " The Native Land Act, 1873," has happily brought to an end tie system of surveying for Native employers by private surveyors, and no other mode of dealing with Native surveys has yet come into operation ; but the survey of very extensive blocks of land, purchased by the Government, has fully occupied the officers of the department; and this branch of work likely to increase. The area of the trigonometrical survey, executed out of the vote for this department, has been rather limited" this year, amounting to 850,000 acres only ; but as one of the two field surveyors has been employed on the extension of the triangulation, and connecting its stations with the boundary traverses of the large land claims in the Seventy-Mile Bush, it has been more directly and immediately useful than in any previous year. By means of this very rapid and efficient system, the survey of twelve blocks in the Province of Hawke's Bay, containing in the aggregate 252,700 acres, has been completed in the field, and the map will be ready very shortly; and the field work of other claims further south, containing about 325,000 acres, is in so forward a state that I trust to have the whole complete, so far as some Native disputes as to one claim will permit, in three months.. The triangulation of the North Island is now in so forward a state that all detail surveys ought for the future to be executed in connection with it. In order to furnish the necessary information of the positions and bearings of the stations, to enable surveyors to do this, I propose, subject to your approval, to publish maps, on a scale of four miles to an inch, of the whole, from the North Cape to Cape Turnagain. Such maps are absolutely necessary to give to the work its full utility, and though they will necessarily be imperfect, having many lacunae in many parts, to be hereafter filled up, they will, I am satisfied, furnish the public, as well as surveyors, with a large amount of information not hitherto procurable without much research and trouble. I have, &c, The Hon. the Native Minister. Theop. Heale.

Rettjen showing the Numbeb and Geoss Aeea of Maps of Native Land Claims, &c, received at the Inspector of Surveys' Office, Auckland, from Ist July, 1873, to 30th June, 1874.

No. of Area. Province of Auckland — Maps. a. c. p. Prior to 30th June, 1873 2,013 2,977,958 0 0 In year ending 30th June, 1874 ... ... ... ... 139 701,777 0 0 2,152 3,679,735 0 0 Province of HmvTce's Bay — Prior to 30th June, 1873 239 1,239,409 0 0 In year ending 30th June, 1874 ... ... ... ... Nil. Nil. 239 1,239,409 0 0

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Province of Wellington — Prior to 30th June, 1873 ... ... ... ... ... 395 1,084,305 0 0 In year ending 30th June, 1874 ... ... ... ... 50 150,722 0 0 445 1,235,027 0 0 Middle Island — Prior to 30th June, 1873 ... ... ... ... ... 57 21,769 0 0 In year ending 30th June, 1874 ... ... ... ... Nil. Nil. 57 21,769 0 0 Public Works Department — Plans, Sections, &c, Prior to 30th June, 1873 ... ... ... ... 32 In year ending 30th June, 1874... ... ... ... 25 57 Grand Totals. Province of Auckland ... ... ... ... ... ... 2,152 3,679,7.35 0 0 Province of Hawke's Bay ... ... ... ... ... 239 1,239,409 0 0 Province of Wellington ... ... ... ... ... 445 1,235,027 0 0 Middle Island ... ... ... ... ... ... 57 21,769 0 0 Public Works Department ... ... ... ... ... 57 Grand Totals... ... ... ... ... ... 2,950 6,175,940 0 0 W. A. Kensington, Acting Chief Draftsman. Inspector of Surveys' Office, Auckland, 24th June, 1874. Eettten showing Extent and Cost of Tkiangttlation executed by the Inspector of Surveys' Department during the Tear, from Ist July, 1873, to 30th June, 1874. Cost. Area—Acres. £ s. d. From 1867 to June, 1873 ... ... ... ... ... 5,767,640 8,785 15 9 Auckland and Waikato District... ... ... ... ... 850,150 1,079 8 6 At a cost of 0305 of a penny per acre. Theop. Heaxe, Inspector of Surveys. Inspector of Surveys' Office, Auckland, 26th June, 1874. By Authority: Gxobgb Didsbtot, Government Printer, Wellington.—lB74. [Price 3d.]