H.—3l

1880. NEW ZEALAND.

INTRODUCTION OF WHITEFISH OVA FROM AMERICA (CORRESPONDENCE RELATIVE TO THE). [In continuation of H.—14a., Sess. II., 1879.]

Presented to both Souses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

No. 1. Mr. G-. S. Cooper to Messrs. J. C. Firth ; the Secretary, Acclimatization Society, Napier; the Seceetaet, Acclimatization Society, Christchurch ; A. M. Johnson, Christchurch; the Secretary, Acclimatization Society, Queenstown; the Secretary, Acclimatization Society, Dunedin; the Secretary, Acclimatization Society, Invercargill; A. Greenfield, Nelson. Sic,— Colonial Secretary's Office, Wellington, 21st April, 1880. With a view to laying before Parliament full information as to the result of the recent attempt to acclimatize whitefish in New Zealand, I have the honor, by direction of the Colonial Secretary, to request that you will furnish me with an account of the steps taken with respect to the ova forwarded to you, and of the result so far as at present known of the experiment. I have, &c, G. S. Cooper. J. C. Firth, Auckland; the Secretary, Acclimatization Society, Napier; the Secretary, Acclimatization Society, Christchurch; A. M. Johnson, Christchurch; the Secretary, Acclimatization Society, Queenstown ; the Secretary, Acclimatization Society, Dunedin; the Secretary, Acclimatization Society, Invercargill; A. Greenfield, Nelson.

No. 2. Mr. J. C. Firth to Mr. G. S. Cooper. Sic, — Auckland, 3rd May, 1880. In reply to your inquiry' relative to the success of the recent attempt to acclimatize whitefish in the Auckland Provincial District, I regret to have to report unfavourably of the 50,000 ova hatched in the fish-house of the Acclimatization Society o£ this place. The arrangements and apparatus, with, the exception of the temperature of the water ,<-were very good. The fish hatched out very well indeed, but the temperature being 65° they died day 4by day, and in a few days all but two had died. This unfortunate result I ascribe entirely to the high temperature of the water. With regard to the results of the deposits of whitefish ova made by me in Lakes Eotorua, Tarawera, Okataina, and Taupo, I am not as yet in a position to report, the deposition having been made in the gravelly and shingly margins of the lakes. lam not, however, sanguine of a favourable result, owing to the temperature of the various lakes, with one exception, being much too high. My experience so far induces me to concur in Dr. Hector's opinion, that the whitefish cannot be acclimatized in the lakes in the northern part of New Zealand owing to the temperature of their waters being too high. I have, &c, G. S. Cooper, Esq., Under-Secretary, Wellington. J. C. Firth.

No. 3. Mr. F. Sutton to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary. Sic, — Napier, 19th Jatmary, 1880. I have the honor to report that the "Hinomoa" landed one bos of whitefish ova, said to contain 50,000, on Thursday last, at 2 p.m. The ova was immediately conveyed to -Hastings, and before 6 p.m. was placed in the Society's ponds. The general appearance of the ova is satisfactory, and already hatching has commenced. The coldest water we could hatch, them in is about 52 degrees, I—H. 31.