S+SNZ Professional Examination — Cadastral Surveying Option (New Zealand)

Under the New Zealand Cadastral Survey Rules 2021 (CSR 2021), what is the horizontal accuracy tolerance between two Class A boundary points located exactly 150 meters apart?

• A0.060 m
• B0.0825 m
• C0.075 m
• D0.150 m

Under the Cadastral Survey Rules 2021, what is the horizontal accuracy tolerance between two Class B boundary points located exactly 400 meters apart?

• A0.300 m
• B0.360 m
• C0.540 m
• D0.400 m

What is the horizontal accuracy tolerance under the CSR 2021 between two Class C boundary points located exactly 200 meters apart?

• A1.000 m
• B1.060 m
• C1.300 m
• D1.600 m

Under the CSR 2021, what is the horizontal accuracy tolerance between a new non-boundary survey mark and an adopted network mark at a distance of 120 meters?

• A0.025 m
• B0.043 m
• C0.200 m
• D0.040 m

When using GNSS positioning for cadastral boundary definition, which practice provides the strongest independent quality-control check?

• AObtain an independently initialised repeat observation, preferably with changed satellite…
• BAlways using a single static observation of at least 12 hours duration for all boundary p…
• CRelying solely on real-time kinematic (RTK) coordinates without any post-processing or re…
• DPerforming all GNSS measurements relative to the WGS84 ellipsoid without transformation t…

Why is the New Zealand Geodetic Datum 2000 (NZGD2000) defined as a semi-dynamic geodetic datum rather than a static one?

• AModel tectonic motion while retaining a stable reference frame.
• BIt allows coordinates to drift freely without any reference to a central epoch.
• CIt is updated automatically every 24 hours based on continuous GPS station uploads withou…
• DIt only applies to the North Island, while the South Island uses a completely static datu…

When converting ellipsoidal heights obtained from GNSS to orthometric (physical) heights in New Zealand, which model must be used?

• ANZGeoid2016
• BEGM96
• CNZGD2000 Ellipsoid Model
• DWGS84 ellipsoid projection

A closed traverse has a total length of 1,200 meters. The misclose in easting is +0.06 meters and in northing is -0.08 meters. What is the fractional linear precision of this traverse?

• A1 in 10,000
• B1 in 12,000
• C1 in 15,000
• D1 in 20,000

Which method most effectively checks an EDM instrument for zero, scale, and cyclic errors with traceability to reference distances?

• AObserve a calibrated multi-station EDM baseline and compare the measured combinations wit…
• BTo calibrate the optical plummet of the instrument; it can be performed in the surveyor's…
• CTo calibrate the GNSS receiver's internal clock; it must be performed at a designated sat…
• DTo adjust the leveling vials of the tribrach; it can be carried out on any stable flat su…

For a cadastral survey in New Zealand, what is the maximum vertical accuracy tolerance for referencing a Class A boundary point?

• A0.03 m
• B0.04 m
• C0.20 m
• D0.60 m

Under rule 21 of the Cadastral Survey Rules 2021, what is the horizontal tolerance for referencing a Class C boundary point?

• A0.05 m
• B0.20 m
• C0.60 m
• D1.00 m

Which of the following GNSS errors is most difficult to model or mitigate through differential processing (RTK or post-processing) in an urban boundary survey?

• AIonospheric delay
• BTropospheric refraction
• CSatellite orbit errors
• DMultipath reflections

Under the Cadastral Survey Rules 2021, what must a surveyor do when adopted bearings are expressed in an orientation different from the new survey?

• AThey must be corrected for magnetic declination only.
• BRotate adopted bearings into the new survey's orientation.
• CLeave them unchanged even though the source and new survey use different orientations.
• DThey must be rotated by a flat 180 degrees to show the reverse direction.

If an EDM instrument is configured with a prism constant of 0.00 mm, but a prism with a constant of -30.0 mm is used, how will the measured distances be affected?

• AEvery measured distance will be 30.0 mm too short.
• BEvery measured distance will be 30.0 mm too long.
• CThe error will increase proportionally with distance (scale error).
• DThe error will vary cyclically with the modulation wavelength.

Why is a least squares adjustment preferred over the Bowditch method for adjusting modern cadastral survey networks?

• AHandle redundancy and varying precision with statistical error analysis.
• BLeast squares is simpler to calculate manually without a computer.
• CLeast squares assumes all angular measurements are perfect and only adjusts distances.
• DLeast squares automatically eliminates all systematic errors without calibration.

Under section 51 of the Land Transfer Act 2017, what does indefeasibility generally give a registered proprietor?

• ARegistered-title protection subject to statutory exceptions.
• BThe title can be overwritten at any time by a prior verbal agreement between previous own…
• CThe boundaries shown on the title are guaranteed by the state to be free from any measure…
• DThe title is permanent and cannot be taken under any circumstances, including compulsory…

If a person suffers loss of land or interest due to a registration error under the Land Transfer Act 2017 Torrens system, how is their loss remedied?

• AClaim Crown compensation if the Act's requirements are met.
• BThe Registrar-General of Land will physically evict the current registered owner and rest…
• CThey have no legal remedy and must absorb the financial loss entirely.
• DThey must sue the original surveyor of the land for the value of the lost title.

Under the Te Ture Whenua Māori Act 1993, which of the following is a correct definition of 'Māori Freehold Land'?

• AMāori beneficial ownership determined by Court order, with Māori freehold status.
• BLand owned by Māori that is completely free from any local council rates or taxes.
• CLand that was confiscated by the Crown and is held in trust for all citizens.
• DLand where ownership is held in common by all New Zealanders under a custom agreement.

What is the primary role of the Māori Land Court when a subdivision partition of Māori Freehold Land is proposed?

• AThe Court determines partition under Te Ture Whenua Māori Act.
• BTo fund the entire survey and civil engineering construction costs of the subdivision.
• CTo act as the local planning authority and bypass all Resource Management Act (RMA) requi…
• DTo convert the land into General Land automatically so it can be sold on the open market.

Under New Zealand common law, what must a surveyor prove to successfully apply the legal doctrine of 'accretion' to a water boundary?

• AThat the land has gradual, slow, and imperceptible additions of soil built up by the natu…
• BThat the water level receded suddenly overnight due to a volcanic event or landslide.
• CThat the landowner physically filled in the riverbed with gravel and clay over a period o…
• DThat the local council granted a resource consent to reclaim the dry land.

Under New Zealand legislation, how is 'Mean High Water Springs' (MHWS) legally defined and determined for coastal boundaries?

• AThe average spring-tide high-water position, located from reliable evidence.
• BThe absolute highest tide recorded during the winter solstice of any given year.
• CA static line located exactly 20 meters horizontally inland from the low tide mark.
• DThe line marked by the highest wave wash during a major storm event.

Under Section 230 of the Resource Management Act 1991, what is the default requirement regarding esplanade reserves when land is subdivided?

• AThe qualified section 230 default: 20 m for lots under 4 ha.
• BA reserve of 5 meters must be set aside along all fence lines on the property.
• CThe entire parcel must be dedicated as a public park if it contains any water feature.
• DAn esplanade strip of 100 meters must be created, preventing the landowner from ever ente…

Under the Land Act 1948, how is Crown land in New Zealand managed and disposed of?

• AAdministration by LINZ and the Commissioner under governing statutes.
• BDirectly by local city councils without any central government involvement.
• CCrown land cannot be sold or leased under any circumstances and must remain completely un…
• DThrough arbitrary allocation by the Minister of Finance without any public notification.

When the Crown acquires land for public work (e.g., a new state highway) under the Public Works Act 1981, what type of survey plan must be prepared?

• AA compliant SO plan showing land to be taken.
• BA simple sketch showing the approximate route on an aerial photograph.
• CA Land Transfer (LT) plan showing residential subdivision lots.
• DA flat-earth topographic map showing soil structures and vegetation.

In the context of the New Zealand Torrens system, what constitutes 'fraud' as an exception to the indefeasibility of registered title?

• AActual dishonesty by the proprietor in acquiring title.
• BAny mistake made by the surveyor in measuring the boundary lines of the property.
• CFailing to pay the local council rates on time.
• DBuying a property at a price below its true market valuation.

Which court has the primary authority to hear disputes regarding the ownership, boundaries, and status of Māori Land in New Zealand?

• AThe Māori Land Court
• BThe Environment Court
• CThe District Court
• DThe Supreme Court

Under the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Act 2011, who owns the 'common marine and coastal area' in New Zealand?

• ANo one owns the statutory common marine and coastal area.
• BIt is owned entirely by the Crown as absolute private property.
• CIt is owned by the local regional council.
• DIt is owned by the nearest private coastal landowner.

Under the Unit Titles Act 2010, what legal entity is automatically created to manage the common property and administration of a unit title development?

• AA Body Corporate
• BA Limited Liability Company
• CA Charitable Trust
• DA Partnership

What is the legal difference between the 'dominant tenement' and the 'servient tenement' in a registered easement?

• ADominant land benefits; servient land bears the easement.
• BThe dominant tenement pays rates to the council, while the servient tenement does not.
• CThe dominant tenement is owned by the Crown, while the servient tenement is privately own…
• DThe dominant tenement is the access road, while the servient tenement is the house.

What is the key land-registration step for a land covenant intended to bind successors to the burdened land?

• ARegister the covenant burden against the affected title.
• BIt must be signed by the local Mayor and published in a local newspaper.
• CIt must be renewed every 5 years by filing a notice with the District Court.
• DIt is only binding on the original parties and can never bind future owners.

Under rule 6 of the Cadastral Survey Rules 2021, how should a surveyor decide the position of an existing boundary being defined by survey?

• AGather and interpret all relevant evidence under rule 6.
• BPlan measurements, original survey marks, old undisturbed occupation, natural boundaries.
• COriginal survey marks, plan measurements, natural boundaries, old undisturbed occupation.
• DOld undisturbed occupation, natural boundaries, plan measurements, original survey marks.

During a boundary survey, you locate two undisturbed original survey pegs. The distance between them measures 20.15 meters, but the original survey plan of 1920 records the distance as 20.00 meters. How should you define the boundary?

• AAccept the positions of the original pegs as defining the boundary, and record the new me…
• BKeep the distance strictly at 20.00 meters and place a new peg 0.15 meters short of the s…
• CSplit the difference and place the boundary at 20.075 meters.
• DReport the mismatch to the Police as a land theft event.

What is the minimum period of continuous, uninterrupted possession required to claim title to land via adverse possession in New Zealand under the Land Transfer Act 2017?

• A12 years
• B20 years
• C30 years
• D50 years

Under the Cadastral Survey Rules 2021, when must a boundary point be defined by survey rather than adopted?

• AWhen a new boundary point is being created, or an existing boundary point is being marked.
• BWhen a boundary point is located more than 10 kilometers from the surveyor's office.
• CWhen the adjoining land is owned by a family member of the surveyor.
• DWhenever the land value exceeds one million dollars.

When a re-survey finds a 0.30-metre surplus across an old subdivision block, what should the surveyor do before using proportional apportionment?

• AResolve all title and field evidence before any justified apportionment.
• BGive the entire 0.30 metres to the first lot merely because it appears first on the plan.
• CGive the entire 0.30 meters to the last lot in the block.
• DDeed the surplus back to the Crown as surplus public land.

Under New Zealand property law, how does a sudden change in a river's course (avulsion) affect the legal boundary of a property defined by that river?

• AThe boundary remains in its original position (where the riverbed was located before the…
• BThe boundary shifts immediately to the new course of the river.
• CThe boundary is split down the middle of the dry land between the old and new channels.
• DThe property title is canceled, and the land is confiscated by the Crown.

When a principal-unit boundary follows part of a wall, floor, or ceiling, what must the unit title CSD do instead of relying on an unstated default boundary position?

• AClearly depict or describe the intended boundary position on the unit plan so its locatio…
• BAssume the centre-line of every wall, floor, and ceiling without showing that choice on t…
• CAssume the inner finished face of every building element, regardless of what the plan dep…
• DLeave the position unresolved for the body corporate to negotiate after deposit.

Under the Property Law Act 2007, what legal remedy can a court grant if a building or structure physically encroaches onto a neighboring property?

• AOrder transfer, an easement, or removal, with compensation as appropriate.
• BThe court must order the immediate demolition of the structure without exception.
• CThe court will automatically give the entire neighboring parcel to the encroaching owner…
• DThe court will arrest the surveyor who performed the subdivision.

When reinstating a boundary in an older urban area where all original pegs have been destroyed, what weight does a well-established, undisturbed fence line of 50 years standing carry as evidence of the boundary?

• APotentially strong evidence, tested against the full record.
• BIt carries no weight at all and must be completely ignored in favor of plan mathematics.
• CIt is only accepted if both neighbors have a written agreement signed within the last 12…
• DIt is treated as a criminal encroachment unless a formal survey peg is found directly ben…

Which statement correctly describes rule 35 marking of a new boundary point on a new primary parcel?

• AMark if practicable unless a listed rule 35 exception applies.
• BThey are never required to place a mark; online digital coordinates are sufficient.
• COnly if requested in writing by the local council planning officer.
• DOnly if the land contains commercial buildings.

When defining a 'Right of Way' easement on a Survey plan in New Zealand, what must the surveyor show to satisfy LINZ lodgement standards?

• AShow and label the easement's legal spatial extent and affected tenements.
• BShow only an approximate driveway centreline, without defining the legal easement extent…
• CThe construction materials and thickness of the concrete driveway.
• DThe speed limit and vehicle weight restrictions for users.

Under the Cadastral Survey Rules 2021, what must a CSD's diagrams accomplish when a unit or other parcel has height-limited boundaries?

• AClearly depict the vertical limits using the applicable boundary-definition information,…
• BA written note claiming that the unit has no vertical limits, without depicting any defin…
• CA simple text note saying the units are on different floors.
• DA three-dimensional CAD model uploaded as an unvalidated attachment.

Which of the following classes of land is generally EXCLUDED from adverse possession claims under New Zealand law?

• AThe land categories excluded by section 159 of the Land Transfer Act.
• BAny land owned by a bank, mortgage lender, or finance company, regardless of its statutor…
• CLand located within 1 kilometer of a public beach.
• DLand that has been subdivided since 2010.

When investigating the boundary of a historical road with no surviving original peg, what is the sound cadastral approach?

• AReconcile the road's legal creation with all cadastral and occupation evidence.
• BProject the nearest state-highway centreline and treat that unrelated alignment as contro…
• CThe distance to the nearest railway track.
• DA default width of 100 meters applied from the nearest river.

Under the CSR 2021, what is a Class D boundary, and when is a surveyor allowed to use it?

• AClass D for rule 15 accepted boundaries, subject to listed exceptions.
• BA boundary that must be marked with a concrete pillar every 10 meters, used for high-rise…
• CA boundary used exclusively for international maritime borders.
• DA temporary boundary that expires 12 months after the survey is completed.

Why can a natural feature be highly persuasive evidence when the creating instrument called it as the boundary?

• AThey can embody the original parties' boundary intention.
• BThey are completely static and never change over time.
• CThey are easier to measure with modern GNSS instruments.
• DThey are owned by the local regional council by default.

In New Zealand cadastral surveying, what is the legal distinction between an 'original boundary' and a 'reinstated boundary'?

• AThe first-survey boundary versus its later re-marking in the same legal position.
• BThe original boundary is always correct, while the reinstated boundary is a temporary gue…
• CThe original boundary is in terms of NZGD2000, while the reinstated boundary is in terms…
• DThe original boundary is defined by the owner, while the reinstated boundary is defined b…