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If you wish to renew the experiment this year, I will send Mr. Clark through to San Francisco in charge. He can then see that they are properly packed in the vessel. Ii you want any more salmon eggs, let me know in time. I have, &c, Dr. James Hector, Spencer F. Baird, Wellington, N. Z. Commissioner.

No. 42. Extract from private letter from Mr. R. J. Creighton to the Hon. James Macandki 7,-,, 7. Air. Clark made a proposal to me, which I consider highly favorable to the colony, and I promised to submit it, which Ido through you. It is this: —" He is willing, if an order be received by him for several million whitefish eggs, jointly from the New Zealand Government and the State Fish Commissioners of California and Nevada, to furnish the eggs, carefully packed, at 65 cents per 1000, and further, to ensure their safe delivery at San Francisco, for shipment to the colony and deposit in our lakes and rivers here ; he would come across the continent in charge, on receiving his travelling expenses to and fro, asking nothing whatever for his time—this extra to be borne proportionately by the colony and California and Nevada." I think the proposal is an extremely liberal one. New Zealand might procure 1,000,000 whitefish eggs in this way for a trifling sum, under conditions which would ensure the absolute success of the experiment. I have no doubt I corrld arrange matters with the Fish Comnrissioners of these States. I should state that Mr. Clark explained that to ensure success, the order for the eggs should be in by October, or early in November. The order passing through Professor Baird, came at a time when the eggs were in a too advanced state. The ova should have been packed, at least, a month earlier. As it was, the Pacific Coast shipment all went back en route, and I saved our lot by the best of good luck.

No. 43. The Hon. the Minisrer for Public Works to Mr. R. J. Creighton. Public Works Office, Wellington, Dear Sir, — New Zealand, Nth August, 1878. Referring to your private letter to me of Bth July, in which you inform me that Mr. Clark has offered to supply whitefish ova at sixty-five cents per 1000 f.o.b. at San Francisco, and that Mr. Clark undertakes personally to srrperintend the shipment at that port, provided his actual expenses across the continent are defrayed jointly by the State Fish Commissioners of California, Nevada, and this Colony. The Government of New Zealand will be glad to be a party to this arrangement, and will take 1,000,000 ova on these terms. If Mr. Clarke will forward his account along with the ova tho amount will be remitted to him in due course. Thanking you for the interest and trouble which you have taken in this matter, I have, &c, R. J. Creighton, Esq., Evening Post Office, J. Macandrew. San Francisco.

No. 44. Professor Baird to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary. United States Commission Fish and Fisheries, Dear Sir, — Gloucester, Mass., 29th July, 1878. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 20th of J true with tho accompanying cheque for £104 3s. 4d. being the amount of indebtedness to Mr. N. W. Clark for eggs of whitefish furnished by him at my request for the use of the New Zealand Government. The charge was for the cost of collecting and keeping in the hatching house one month, so as to bring forward the embryo, and for packing and shipping ; and of course the price of one dollar per thousand was merely nominal. I greatly regret that, after all, the eggs arrived in an unsatisfactory condition • but, if you desire to renew the order, I think I can promise better results. I have sent the account to Mr. Frank N. Clark, a son of the deceased N. W. Clark, for his signature, and on receiving it will forward it promptly to you. I have, (fee, The Honorable the Colonial Secretary, Spencer F. Baird, Wellington, N.Z. Commissioner.

No. 45. The Hon. the Colonial Secretary to Professor Spencer F. Baird. Sir,— Colonial Secretary's Office, Wellington, 21st October, 1878. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 29th July, and to thank you for your offer to endeavour to procure a better result than was before obtained, should this Government think fit to renew the order for whitefish ova. An order for 1,000,000 ova had been sent to Mr. Clarke, through Air. Creighton, an old New Zealand colonist who is settled in San Francisco, before y 7our letter arrived, and it will, therefore, be unnecessary that the Government of this colony should avail itself of your kind offer to send a shipment of ova this season. I have, (fee, G. S. Whitmore.