INTRODUCTION OE SALMON OVA.

G.—No. 26.

9

so as to insure its success ; and this decision, together with copies of your letter, were transmitted to the other Acclimatization Societies. After considering the replies from these Societies, Government decided that the experiment should be confined to the Makarewa Ponds. To this proposal, the Christchurch and Dunedin Societies agreed in a cordial manner, waiving their own claims to a share of the ova, and promising to bear a share of the required contribution; and on receiving from yourself, by telegram of sth March, an assurance that the ponds were m a fit state to receive the ova, the order was sent to the Agent-General to effect the shipment in a letter dated 13th March, of which I have the honor to enclose a copy. Li the event of your anticipation that the whole cost of the experiment will not exceed £700 proving correct, I need hardly state that the proposed contribution from your Society will of course be so much less, but the Government have distinctly understood from the action taken by your Society that the condition which they imposed—that the sum guaranteed by the Societies should be £500— was accepted by it. On receipt of advices from the Agent-General as to the shipment of the ova, you will be duly informed. J _,;,_,_, I have, Ac, c .i, f?™ Butts > Es I'> Secretary, W. Gisborne. Southland Acclimatization Society, Invercargill.

No. 23. Mr. Butts to the Hon. W. Gisborne. Southland Acclimatization Society, blH '"" T , ~ , , ,-, Invercargill, 11th May, 1872. I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 30th April, together with a copy of letter from yourself to the Agent-General in London regarding a shipment of salmon ova irom Great Britain. The same will be laid before the Committee at their next meeting and I have no doubt the intelligence conveyed therein will meet with their approbation. I have, &c, _. „ ,-'-' Edwaed D. Butts, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington. Hon. Secretary.

No. 24. Dr. Featherston to the Hon. W. Gisboene. (No. 326.) 7, Westminster Chambers, Victoria Street, Westminster S W SlE >— 26th June, 1872. 1 have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your letter of 13th March (No. and register as per margin), on the subject of a further shipment of salmon ova to New Zealand. As the spawning season does not commence before the early part of November it will of course be quite impossible to do anything at present beyond collecting the necessary information and makinoall suitable arrangements. " & Mr. Buller has, at my request, prepared a memorandum on the subject, which I beg to forward herewith; and by next mail I shall probably be able to furnish the Government with further information, and to report the steps I have taken in the matter. Meanwhile I have simply to state that I have received every assurance of assistance and support Irom Mr. Youal, Mr. Buckland, and other gentlemen whose experience will be of great service to me m giving effect to your instructions. The Hon. W. Gisborne, Colonial Secretary. J. jj. Feathebston.

Enclosure in No. 24. Memorandum on the Introduction of Salmon into New Zealand. T ~ ...^ **, , 7 ' Westminster Chambers, London, 22nd June, 1872. In compliance with the request of the Agent-General, I have endeavoured to collect the best available information on the subject of introducing Salmon ova into New Zealand, and for that purpose I have personally consulted the following authorities, viz. :-Mr. A. Toual, of Waratah House ; Mr Frank Buckland one of H.M. Salmon lishenes Commissioners ; Dr. J. E. Gray, F.E.S., the Superintendent of the Natural History Department m the British Museum; Dr. Gunther, F.E.S., the well-known icthyologist, and Dr. Hooper, F.E.S, Director of the Eoyal Gardens, Kew For the information of the Government, I beg to summarize the results of my conference with each of these gentlemen : but I do not consider it necessary to burden this paper with the detailed instructions as to when, where, and how to take the Salmon, the process of artificial impregnation, the various modes of packing the ova the hatching and rearing of the young fish, and other similar matters, on all ot which most valuable information has been obtained. ilt M v T o™! 1 has P™a% superintended no less than five shipments of salmon ova to Australia and *ew Zealand and can lay claim to a larger practical experience of the subject than any other personm England. He is strongly opposed to the proposed shipment of ova being made from any port but London Ho believes that it would be almost impossible to obtain the requisite skilled labour for such a delicate undertaking as the packing and shipping of the ova, without employing men whom o