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wards. The result must be obvious. I think this evil should be shown up, and people warned against acting so injuriously for the true interest of their flocks. Cattle. —There are few cattle in the district, and these are backward in breed with very few exceptions. They are, so far as I can learn, free from disease, though two or three cases of cancer have been reported as having existed here. I have not yet met one case. I purpose shortly making an inspection of all cattle used for dairy purposes, and will report the result to you. Horses are healthy. One case of death from intestinal worm reported to me, and the horsebot {Gastrophilus equi) has made its appearance here, and I was to-day informed by Mr. Beatson that he had dressed a horse to destroy the eggs attached to the long hairs on the throat. He came to procure the leaflet on the bot, and. recognised it undoubtedly. No serious results have so far appeared. Babbits. —As a whole I consider this district to have made decided progress during the past twelve months, though the pest is gradually extending its frontier. Last week it was reported to me that the silver-grey had been seen within two miles of Old Tophouse. The natural enemy is, however, established, and is doing excellent work on most of the well-watered country suitable for its habitat, and many settlers who have hitherto had a poor opinion of it as a destructive agent are beginning to change their views in that respect. Some hundreds of ferrets have been liberated through the past spring and early summer, and preparation is being made for the liberation of many more at the close of the coming winter. The country is being subdivided by rabbit-proof fences, which materially assist matters, and enables settlers to make effective work. Large numbers of both stoats and weasels have drifted into the Sounds country, the wooded country being the attraction ; this is unfortunate, as the Sounds settlers not having rabbits have little sympathy for the natural enemy, and I fear destroy them whenever opportunity offers, as they occasionally kill poultry. I have in the Sounds thought it advisable in cases to suggest the use of the bas-trap, as they would be readily bought here. I am aware this is a dangerous precedent, but it is the only way to be adopted to save the animals from destruction. Crops have been fair, and in spite of bad weather have been got in in fair condition—discoloured a little but the grain sound. I have not been able to hear of the Hessian fly having made its appearance in this district. The Californian thistle, the stinkweed, sweet-briar, and blackberry are in all parts of this district, and will, I fear, prove very difficult to deal with. The briar especially has a strong hold, and is as a rule on land that will not pay to clear. John Mooee. Blenheim.

Nelson Disteict. Sheep. —As no scab has been known in the district since September, 1889, it may with safety be assumed that the sheep are now free from that disease. A few flocks were slightly infected with lice, but to no serious extent. Many of the sheepowners make it a rule to dip every year to destroy the ticks. I have not seen nor heard of any serious mortality amongst sheep through lungworm or other diseases, except a case at Able Head, Totaranui, where a farmer lost about fifty, which had the appearance of having been starved or stinted of water, although there was abundance of grass on his run. There are sheep badly infected with foot-rot, but as that is not a disease under the Act, an Inspector has no power to have the hoofs dressed before being driven off the run. The clip and lambing throughout the district have been fairly good, and the returns of April, 1892, show an increase of 28,732 over the previous year. Ido not anticipate so large an increase this year, owing to so many sheep having been sent south, both for freezing and store ; about 15,000 in all. The freezing-works at Spring Creek, Marlborough, is a boon to the sheepowners in this district, enabling them to dispose of their fat sheep during the summer and autumn months. Horses. —Although the bot-fly has been known in the district for years past I have not heard of any mortality amongst horses. The leaflet issued has been distributed through the district. Babbits. —Rabbits are scattered about in nearly all parts of the district, and have been for many years past, but as the back country is mostly bush, and not suitable for them to breed in any number, and nearly all the front country is taken up in small holdings, I do not think they will ever become a serious nuisance. In many localities rabbits are not so numerous as they were years ago, and have decreased during the last few years. Trapping, shooting, and poisoning with phosphorized grain are carried on every year. Cattle. —I have not seen or heard of any disease in cattle during the year. The crops throughout the district were up to the average, and very little damage has been caused by the Hessian fly, which has been known as the weevil for many years past. Nelson. T. G. Eichaedson.

Canteebuey-Kaikouea Disteict. Sheep. —The condition of the flocks continues generally good, and though feed has been hardly so plentiful as in last autumn and for a couple of months in the summer, there was an indication that grass might be scarce in the coming winter, yet rain came sufficiently early to remove apprehension on that score. The turnip crop, however, is in many places a partial failure. During last winter there was more foot-rot than for some years past, but so far this season there has been comparatively little. Lung-worm, of which we had a certain amount last winter, was, however, not as bad as it has been m former years.