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REPORT OF THE BALNEOLOGIST, ROTORUA. I have the honour to present my annual report on the Rotorua Baths. The Sanatorium, having now been temporarily transferred to the Health Department, has been omitted from consideration, and owing to the close attention necessitated by the work at Rotorua I have not visited or reported on any of the spas elsewhere. Contrary to what might reasonably have been anticipated, there has been a large increase of revenue at the Rotorua Baths for the past year. This has been effected in spite of a diminution .of. .overseas traffic caused by the war, and is due partly to the increased number of visitors from within New Zealand, and partly to the fees for treatment of wounded soldiers. In regard to the former it will be noted that the increase has been hardly perceptible in regard to ordinary bath fees, but the receipts for special-treatment and consultation fees have very greatly increased. This indicates that the increase has been due rather to the larger number of people coming here as patients for serious treatment than to those coming for pleasure or for minor ailments. The other factor in the increase of massage, (fee, receipts is that half-fees have been received for special treatments for wounded soldiers, while, all ordinary mineral-water baths have been given free by the Department. ft will be seen that the bulk of the extra work has fallen on the medical staff, the massage staff, and certain of the clerical staff; and I Wish to place on record my appreciation more .especially of the work of the massage staff, and to single out for special mention the workers in the dry-massage and electrical department. The work that has been done for wounded soldiers has been of incalculable benefit to the men themselves, and deserving of grateful recognition by the country. All this extra work has taxed the massage accommodation to the utmost, and although extra rooms were utilized for the purpose, still further accommodation will probably be required next season. Whenever possible vacancies on the baths staff have been filled by employing returned soldiers, but few of these have sought to retain their posts for more than a short period, and a. constantly fluctuating staff has presented some considerable difficulties in actual working. To sum np, the results of the year's work have been most gratifying, both from the quality of the work performed and from the financial aspect; but while we may confidently expect the standard of the former to be maintained at the same high level in the coming year, it is hardly possible that the monetary receipts will do so in the face of the ever-increasing restrictions to travel. A. S. Herbert, Balneologist. REPORT OF THE NEW ZEALAND GOVERNMENT AGENT, SYDNEY 1 iiavio the honour to submit my report for the year ending the -51 st March. 1917. Passenger-booking. The hooking of tourists to and through the Dominion has been continued as usual. The Australian Government regulations making it necessary for persons to have permits or passports before they can leave Australia for New Zealand have been the means of preventing many people from visiting the Dominion, and during the last few months the fact that the shipping companies have made it a rule to issue only single tickets from Australia to New Zealand, which is tantamount to an increase of 21| per cent, on the former return-passage rates between the Commonwealth and the Dominion, is another reason why the tourist traffic from Australia to Now Zealand has fallen off. 'I lie coal strike, which lasted for some weeks in Australia, and, which occurred just when Australians were contemplating making trips abroad, greatly contributed to prevent Australians from visiting the Dominion. Advertising. - The appropriation allotted to this office for advertising the Dominion in New South Wales was spread over a number of excellent channels, and included advertising on drop-curtains at vaudeville and picture theatres, on flashlight signs, on ferry-steamers, and in publications. Large bundles of posters which were obtained from the Railway Department in New Zealand were distributed to the various Government Railway Departments in Australia for exhibition on the various railway-stations in the Commonwealth. Similar posters were sent to the leading hotel and boardmghouse keepers in New South Wales for exhibition at their respective houses An excellent free advertisement for the Dominion was obtained by lending a scenic film of New Zealand to the Australasian Films (Limited). This company, which, I understand, controls a large number of the picture-theatres in Australia, has been constantly showing this picture throughout New South Wales since last November, and arrangements have been made for it to be sent to Queensland as soon as it has completed the circuit of New South Wales At the latter end of March another scenic film, entitled " The Southern Alps of New Zealand " was lent to a large picture syndicate, and is at present being shown in Sydney. These New Zealand scenic films are excellent mediums for advertising, as the pictures are always appreciated by Australian audiences. Every opportunity has been taken during the year to advertise the Dominion by distributing illustrated circulars, photographs, and literature, and by lending magic-lantern slides.