H.—lsa

6

Thirtieth Haul. —Steamed S.W. half an hour, and put down the net at 2.45 p.m., in 43 fathoms, on a mud bottom. Towed S.W. by W. f W., and hauled up at 4.15 p.m. in 27 fathoms. Eesult: 8 tarakihi, 2 megrims, 10 lemon-soles, and 2 oysters. Thirty-first Haul. —Weather being unfavourable this morning we delayed leaving Timaru until 8.15 a.m. Headed down the coast for seven miles, but the wind increasing, with a choppy sea getting up, it was decided to return to Timaru, trying a haul of the net on the way back. The net was put down in 10 fathoms on a sand bottom, towing with the wind N. -| N. for an hour and a half, and picked up in 8 fathoms. The result of this haul was about 3 tons of fish, principally redcod, a large number of dog-fish, sharks, 18 soles, and 19 flounders. Thirty-second Raul. —We left Timaru again at 4.25 a.m. on the 26th March, steamed N.E. for an hour and a half, and put down the net at 6 a.m., in 11 fathoms, on a sand bottom. Towed E. by N. f N., and picked up in 14 fathoms at 7.15 a.m. The result of this haul was 2 barracouta, 11 lemon-soles, 17 gurnard, and 3 megrims. Thirty-third Haul. —From picking up at the last station we steamed inshore half an hour, and shot the net in 10J fathoms, on a sand bottom, at 8.20 a.m. Towed N.W. f N. for an hour, and picked up off a rough bottom. The fish taken were 3 ling, 3 gurnard, 10 soles, 4 flounders, and about a ton of red-cod. Thirty-fourth Haul. —Steamed up the coast for an hour, and put down the net in 4£ fathoms, about three miles south of the Ashburton Eiver, at 10.40 a.m., lead soundings showing sand. Towed for an hour S.W. -J W., and picked up in 5 fathoms. The fish taken were 5 soles, 3 flounders, 200 red-cod, and a few skate. Thirty-fifth Haul. —After taking up the net at the station 34 steamed down the coast for three-quarters of an hour, and put down the net in fathoms, on a sand bottom, at 12.30 p.m. Towed S.W., and hauled up in 5 fathoms at 1.20 p.m. This haul yielded 250 red-cod, 9 soles, 3 flounders, 2 Macrurus australis, and a few skate. Thirty-sixth Haul. —Steamed three-quarters of an hour from station 35, and shot the net abreast of the Orari Eiver in 5J fathoms at 2.25 p.m. Soundings with the lead showed the bottom to be soft sand. Towed S. by W. fW. for three-quarters of an hour, when the net got foul of a snag. Great difficulty was experienced in getting the net clear of the obstruction, and when it came up it was torn to shreds, a new foot-rope broken, and the chains of the otter-board bridles broken. Eeturned to Timaru to effect repairs. Thirty-seventh Haul (27th March). —We left Timaru again at 7 a.m. on the 27th to work off the coast as far south as the Waihao. Steamed down the coast for an hour, and shot the net in 9 fathoms, on a sand bottom, at 8 a.m. Towed for an hour due south, and picked up in 9 fathoms. The fish taken were 10 soles, 1 flounder, 250 red-cod, and a number of skate, dog- and elephantfish. Thirty-eighth Haul. —Steamed twenty minutes, and shot again in 8 fathoms at 9.40 a.m.; bottom fine sand. Towed S. -J- E. for an hour, the result being 250 red-cod, 9 soles, 1 ling, and a quantity of skate, dog-fish, and 2 octopi. Thirty-ninth Haul. —Continuing down the coast we steamed half an hour from station 38, and put over the net in 7 fathoms, on a sand bottom, at 11.35 a.m. Towed N.W. \W. for an hour, and took up the net in 8 fathoms off the Waihao Eiver. The fish taken in this haul were 9 soles, 1 conger, 1 moki, and 500 red-cod. Fortieth Haul. —From station 39 we steamed out into 16 fathoms, eight miles off shore, and abreast of the Waihao River. The net was shot at 3 p.m. on a sand bottom, and towed N.W. \W. for an hour, when it was picked up in 18 fathoms. The result of this haul was rather poor, yielding only 27 soles, 1 gurnard, and a few skate and octopi. Forty-first Haul. —Went out from Timaru at 7.15 a.m. on the 28th March, steamed up the coast for twenty minutes, and shot the net off the Washdyke Lagoon ; bottom soft sand. Towed for an hour N.E. by N. f N., and picked up off a gravel bottom in 6£ fathoms. The result of this haul was rather poor, yielding only 50 red-cod, 3 gurnard, 1 conger, and 1 octopus. Forty-second Haul. —Steamed out into 7 fathoms, the lead showing sand; the net was put down at 9.30 a.m., towed an hour N.E. by N. f N., and picked up off gravel in 6f fathoms. The fish in the net were 50 red-cod, 1 conger-eel, 3 gurnard, and 1 octopus. Forty-third Haul. —Went out into 10 fathoms, and put down the .net at 11 a.m. on a sand bottom. Towed S.E. by S. JS. for three-quarters of an hour, then altered the course to W. by S. J S., and towed for the same time on this course, and picked up in 10 fathoms at 12.30 p.m. The fish taken were 2 hapuku, 4 gurnard, and 300 small red-cod. Forty-fourth Haul. —We left Timaru at 4 a.m. on the 30th March, and steamed south until past the mouth of the Waihao Eiver. Soundings in 8 fathoms showing a gravel bottom; steamed out E.S.E., and got bad bottom in 10 and 14 fathoms; continued out into 18 fathoms, and got sand and shell. The net was put over at 10 a.m., and towed three-quarters of an hourE. by S.f S., and hauled up in 20 fathoms. The result of this haul was very poor, the net containing only a few lemon-soles, a collection of shells, sponges, and sea-weed. Forty-fifth Haul.—Aiier picking up at station 44 we steamed due west into 5 fathoms, a mile to the north of the Waitaki Eiver. Soundings showing a bad bottom all the way in. The bad bottom continued in from sto 8 fathoms to the south of the Waitaki. The course was altered to due east, and the bottom was tested on that course out to 23 fathoms. The net was put down at 2.10 p.m., in 23 fathoms, on a sand-and-broken-shell bottom, and towed E. £ S. for half an hour. Hauled up at 2.40 p.m. in 27 fathoms. The fish taken were 15 megrims, 20 tarakihi, and a collection of weeds and shells. Tested the bottom on a course S.W. in to 6 fathoms, and then down the coast to Oamaru, getting bad bottom at every sounding. Forty-sixth Haul. —Left Oamaru at 6 a.m. to make further tests off the Waitaki, the weather being favourable for inshore-work, a steady breeze blowing off shore. When well up to the mouth of the river soundings with the lead showed a gravel bottom until inside of 4 fathoms, when