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1908. NEW ZEALAND.

EXPERIMENTAL TRAWLING (REPORT ON).

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

The Chief Inspector op Fisheries to the Secretary, Marine Department. Sir,— Wellington, 13th July, 1908. I have the honour to present the following report on the second trawling cruise of the steamtrawler " Nora Niven," which was chartered by the Government for a further period of three months for the purpose of prospecting the grounds to the west of Cook Strait, Tasman and Golden Bays, down the west coast of the South Island to Hokitika, the west coast of the North Island, and part of the east coast from the Hauraki Gulf to the North Cape. A full description of the " Nora Niven " was given in my report on the first three months' cruise. As was the case during the first cruise, the owners did everything possible for the comfort of the Government officers on board, and afforded them every facility in their power for carrying out the work successfully. Mr. Waite's official duties prevented him from accompanying this cruise ; and it is a matter for regret that no marine biologist accompanied the expedition, as it afforded an exceptional opportunity for collecting specimens and studying marine life along a great range of the coast-line of New Zealand. At the commencement of the cruise the " Nora Niven " had on board two new trawl-nets, complete ; and sections equal to half a net; and two half-worn nets on deck, " bent on " ready for use ; three pairs of otter-boards, and sufficient spare twine, shackles, and other fittings. During the cruise another complete new net was put on board. I have the honour to submit this report to you in the following order : — (a.) General Account op the Cruise. The second charter of the " Nora Niven " dated from the 5th September. I inspected the vessel, and examined and overhauled her nets and fishing - gear at Wellington on that date. As the first charter expired on the previous day, the trawl-nets and gear required overhauling and repairing, and the engine-boilers blowing down and cleaning before commencing on the second cruise ; and this was done on the 6th and 7th. I was in charge of the expedition from the commencement of the cruise until the 17th October, when owing to ill health I was compelled to come ashore, and Mr. H. Stephenson, Inspector of Fisheries for the Bay of Islands, was put in charge. The records of fish caught, depths trawled in, nature of the bottom, &c, and report of the work done is supplied by me up to the Nth October, and from that date to the end of the cruise by Mr. Stephenson. "During the three months the vessel was under charter she fished on forty-four days; thirteen days were occupied in coaling, taking in stores, discharging fish, &c. ; twelve days in steaming to the various grounds to be tested ; five days weather bound ; thirteen days were Sundays, and the remaining three days were occupied in repairing, &c. The total covered during this|cruiseT(was 3,835 miles, the distance steamed being 3,123 miles, and the distance the trawl-net was towed 712. One hundred and forty-six hauls of the trawl-

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