£.—l6

5

The s.s. " Hinemoa " has overhauled most of the buoys, and has rebuilt the beacons on StonyPoint, Tauranga. A new mooring-buoy has had to be laid down in Milford Sound, as the one which was there broke adrift, and it was not large enough for the deeper water in which it became necessary to moor the buoy. Tenders were invited for the removal of some rocks which impede the navigation of Helensville Creek, Kaipara, but those received were too high, and fresh tenders have been called for. Tenders were also invited for the erection of a beacon in Kaipara River. One was received, but as it was much above the estimated cost it was declined, and the work is now being carried out by the Public Works Department. The deposit of nightsoil into the Wairoa Itiver at Dargaville has been stopped. The master of the barque "Casablanca" was proceeded against and fined for going up the Wairoa River without hoisting the powder flag. Regulations for fixing places for the landing and shipping of explosives in the harbour are now being prepared. The removal of the rocks from Manukau Harbour a short distance below the wharf has enabled vessels to leave and reach the wharf earlier and later on the tides. It having been found that flax-mill refuse which was put into the Manawatu River from the mills was becoming an impediment to navigation by causing the formation of shoals in the river, action has been taken to prevent the mills allowing the refuse to go into the river in future. A general harbour regulation has been made providing that no person shall place any tree, log, orother obstruction in any harbour, or navigable river or lake, or on the shore or bank thereof, in such a position or maimer as to cause or be liable to cause loss of life or injury to any person, or damage to any vessel or to impede navigation. The necessity for this regulation arose through persons felling trees on the banks of navigable waters, and leaving them in such a position that a part of them extended over the banks. A return showing the plans of harbour-works approved by the Governor in Council, and of the licenses granted for the occupation of sites for wharves and other works is appended. The sum of £2,206 os. Bd. has been collected for pilotage and port charges in respect of harbours under the control of the Department, as compared with £2,000 Is. 3d. collected during the previous year. Proceedings were taken against a flax-miller for putting tow into the Taheke River, and he was fined £1 and costs. Fisheries. —The regulations relating to fish and oysters have been consolidated, which is of great advantage to fishermen and fishery officers. A return showing the number of fishing and oyster boats registered and licensed at the various ports at the end of December last is appended. It will be seen that the number registered was 1,106, and licensed 995. In the previous year there were 1,085 registered and 1,068 licensed. Parliament having last year voted the sum of £2,500 for experimental trawling, arrangements have been made with the New Zealand Trawling and Fish Company, of Napier, for a threemonths charter of the new trawler "Nora Niven " for the work. Mr. Ayson, Chief Inspector of Fisheries, will be on board the vessel, and will direct where the trawling is to be done. The vessel is provided with a refrigeratiug-chamber, which will enable the fish caught to be kept until she comes into port, when they will be sold by the owners of the vessel, as the Department has arranged for then* to take them at the market price. During last year the Department collected a large number of brown and rainbow trout ova for acclimatisation societies. The manufacture of fertilisers from fish is now carried on at three places in the colonyviz., Whangamumu, Matakana, and Moeraki. This branch of industry is an important one, and is deserving of every encouragement. It also leads to the destruction of large numbers of sharks, dog-fish, &c, which now infest some of the fishing-grounds, and which, up to recently, have been allowed to increase unmolested to the great destruction of market fish. The Chief Inspector recommends that a substantial bonus should be given on all fish fertilisers of a standard quality which are manufactured in the colony. - The question of allowing the sale of sea trout, which in some parts inhabit the coastal waters in large numbers, is one that requires consideration. These fish are plentiful along the east coast of the°South Island, from Pegasus Bay to Tewaewae Bay, south of the Bluff, and there is no question that they are taken by fishermen when netting for indigenous fish, and that they are illegallysold. With restrictions as to locality, season, and size their sale might be authorised without leading to river-fish being illegally sold. Seals. —The close season for seals has been extended up to the 30th June next year. The Chief Inspector of Fisheries reports that the fish-supply obtained from the local fishingorounds in the Wellington District during the year has not on the whole been equal to the supply in 1905-6, and that it appears that the quantity of blue-cod obtainable is decreasing year by year. A new cod-ground which was discovered in Cook Strait less than two years ago, and which yielded a large quantity of fine fish for a time, is now giving a decreasing quantity. This fish is the one which is in the greatest demand for export to Australia, where there is a ready market for more than can be supplied. Trawling is being carried on in a small way in Cloudy Bay by means of oil-launches. The steam trawler " Phantom," which worked in that bay for a considerable time, has gone to Napier. There has been no trawling in Blind Bay for a considerable time, and the Chief Inspector considers that it is a matter of surprise and regret that such a large extent of splendid trawling-ground with a daily steam-service to Wellington should not be utilised. The following is the substance of reports received from local Inspectors of Fisheries: — At the Bay of Islands there has been a fair supply of fish, except mullet. The principal kinds of fish taken have been tchnapper, flounders, crayfish, and garfish. The Inspector reports that mullet are decreasing every year, and recommends that there should be a close season for this fish. In 1905 there were four mullet-canning factories between the Bay of Islands and the North Cape, and there is now only one. Sharks have been very numerous and troublesome to