H.—l2

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I am to state that no trout ova arc coming, aud that 20,000 salmon ova have been allotted to Canterbury, leaving 100,000 for you; but if the Canterbury Agent is not in time, you will of course take the whole shipment. I have, &c, E. D. Butts, Esq., Hon. Secretary, G. S. Cooper, Southland Acclimatization Society, Invercargill. Under Secretary.

No. 41. Mr. G. S. Cooper to Mr. Blakiston. Sir, — Colonial Secretary's Office, Wellington, 3rd April, 1873. Adverting to previous correspondence on the salmon ova expected from England by the " Oberon," I am directed by Mr. Fox to inform you that 20,000 of the ova have been allotted to Canterbury on condition that you send an accredited agent to Dunedin to meet the vessel early this month, and have a steamer ready to ship the ova with the least possible delay for Lyttelton. Should the Canterbury agent not arrive in time, of course the whole shipment will be sent to Invercargill. I have, &c, C. R. Blakiston, Esq., G. S. Cooper, Acclimatization Society, Christchurch. Under Secretary.

No. 42. Mr. Butts to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary. Southland Acclimatization Society, Sir,— Invercargill, 16th March, 1873. I am desired by the above Society to acknowledge receipt of your letters dated the 4th and 7th February, together with their very interesting contents, which have received my attention. I am further instructed to point out to you, that although Dr. Featherston was very strongly advised by this Society to ship the ova from the Clyde, if possible, directly to the Bluff, and this course was also strongly recommended in the very interesting letter from Dr. Lindsay, of Perth, the shipment is nevertheless made from London to Port Chalmers, nor is any reason assigned why this course should have been adopted in preference to the one so urgently advised. I have, &c, Edw. D. Butts, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington. Hon. Secretary.

No. 43. Mr. G. S. Cooper to Mr. Butts. Sir, —• Colonial Secretary's Office, Wellington, 3rd April, 1873. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 16th March last, on the subject of the salmon ova expected from England, and am directed by Mr. Fox to state that you are in possession of all the information the Government have received from Dr. Featherston. The representations of the Invercargill Acclimatization Society have been duly communicated to the Agent-General, who doubtless, acting under the best advice he was able to obtain, saw good reason for not acting on the suggestions of the Society; the Government, however, hope that, with the assistance Dr. Featherston has had from so experienced a shipper of ova as Mr. Youl, no failure will take place in the experiment, especially as there is now little reason to doubt that shipments to Tasmania, conducted under his supervision, have turned out successfully. I have, &c, E. D. Butts, Esq., Hon. Secretary, G. S. Cooper, Southland Acclimatization Society, Invercargill. Under Secretary.

No. 44. Mr. Blakiston to Mr. G. S. Cooper. Sir,— Christchurch, 29th March, 1873. I have to thank you for your communications of 22nd and 27th March, letters numbered 184 and 199. Mr. Johnston, the Curator to the Acclimatization Society of Canterbury, proceeds tomorrow to Dunedin, furnished with all the necessary appliances for securing a safe transit of the Canterbury portion of the ova from Dunedin here. We hope to know soon what arrangements the Government intend making as regards the Canterbury quota of the ova and ice. I have, &c, Chas. Robt. Blakiston, G. S. Cooper, Esq., Chairman, Canterbury Acclimatization Society. Assistant Colonial Secretary, Wellington.