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1913. NEW ZEALAND.

FISHERIES OF NEW ZEALAND (REPORTS ON), WITH RECOMMENDATION FOR ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION BY L. F. AYSON, CHIEF INSPECTOR OF FISHERIES.

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

Marine Department, Wellington, 10th June, 1913. The Secretary, Marine Department, Wellington. I forward a report on the fisheries, as required by the Hon. the Minister of Marine. L. F. Ayson.

Sir, — Marine Department, Wellington, 10th June, 1913. As instructed by you, I have the honour to supply the attached report on the fisheries of the Dominion, with recommendations for their organization and development. According to instructions, I wrote to England, Scotland, Ireland, Canada, Cape of Good Hope, and all the Australian States (copy of letter attached) for information regarding the administration of the fisheries in these countries. There has been considerable delay in getting replies from several places ; as a matter of fact, I have not yet received a reply from Tasmania, and that from Cape Town only came to hand last week. This has delayed the preparation of my report, which otherwise could have been ready some time ago. Very full and valuable information was given by most of the countries applied to ; and copies of the various forms in use, and fishery laws and regulations, were also forwarded, and I enclose with this a resume of the information supplied. The letters received, and also the forms and copies of fishery laws, &c, are in my office, and available for your perusal whenever required. In the meantime lam going through and making notes from them. I trust the recommendations made in this report will meet with the approval of yourself and the Government, and that the Government will see its way to have them given effect to. lam convinced, if carried out, that they will result in the fisheries being put on a solid footing with regard to organization and development. I ask to be given an opportunity to develop the fisheries, and with a free hand and the necessary amount of money I will undertake in a very short time to have the fisheries of this Dominion placed on a better footing than any of the fisheries in Australasia. I shall be glad of an opportunity of conferring with you regarding the proposals made in this report and other fishery matters whenever convenient for you. I have, &c, L. F. Ayson, Chief Inspector of Fisheries. The Hon. F. M. B. Fisher, Minister of Marine, Wellington.

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