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planning ami beautifying associations, progrep leagues, civil engineers, architects, surveyors, accountants; agricultural, temperance, and other societies) ami educational institutes and labour organizations. A full volume of proceedings, including eacb paper which was read and the remarks made _by each speaker during the discussion, together with various illustrations, was printed and distributed throughout the Dominion. A copy of (his volume was laid on the table of the House last session. Local Authorities' Finance. A result of the high cost of living is an increase in the cost of local government. Local authorities, particularly Borough Councils and Town Boards, find it very difficult with the present limitation of their power to provide not only for new works, but also for maintenance of existing ones, and the burden for maintenance is harder to bear because loans cannot legally lie raised for that purpose. In town districts and some of the smaller boroughs the cost of sanitation services has increased to such an extent that the existing powers to levy a sanitation rate is altogether inadequate, the result being that the proceeds of the general rate have to some considerable extent to be diverted to sanitation purposes. Special Oijdkhs. Many local bodies, particularly County Councils, do not dispiay sufficient care in the making of special orders, particularly those requiring to be gazetted. These gazetted special orders deal principally with tin , creation or alteration of boundaries of subdivisions. Many are not passed until the last moment, and cannot be brought into effect at the time desired. The earliest time at which any such special order can come into effect is the date of gazetting. Frequently, too, they are forwarded without the necessary certificates of the Chief Surveyor of the district that the schedules contain adequate descriptions of boundaries, and of the Chairman or Clerk that the special orders have been duly made. Municipal and Counties Conferences. The first year of peace saw sittings of both these Conferences, and as a result of them a largo dumber of resolutions asking for amendments of the existing law affecting boroughs and counties, and for new legislation, have been received. It is difficult to overestimate the importance of both Conferences. Being representative of the two great factors in local government —the borough and county —and composed of men speaking not only with authority but knowledge gained in (he actual administration of the law, the result of their deliberations is of the greatest value to the Government in framing new legislation. Housing. This question is now one of national importance, and the powers of Borough and County Councils were widened by the Housing Act, 1919, and the Counties Amendment Act, 1919. The Tda'l'aka. Good work continues to be done by the keepers of the various island sanctuaries in destroying cats, hawks, and goats. A number of lizards have been liberated on the small islet to the north of Somes Island, in Wellington Harbour, and the chief light ■keeper has been appointed a special protector. The few small islands in the Bay of Plenty, which are among the only spots in which the lizards are still to be found in numbers, arc too subject to senseless raids by picnic parties and Natives to be ideal .sanctuaries. Several of the protectors' reports containing matter of interest were handed to the Press for publication. Orossu.MS. The high prices at present ruling all over the world for furs have resulted in acclimatization societies and others making strong representations to the Department for special legislation dealing with opossums. With a view to obtaining definite information on many debatable questions, the Department engaged Professor Kirk, of Victoria University College, Wellington, to make a report. After exhaustive inquiries throughout the Dominion he furnished a comprehensive and valuable report, which it is hoped to publish at an early date. Legislation. It has long been recognized that the Animals Protection Act is hopelessly inadequate, and but for the war a new measure would have been submitted to Parliament at least three years ago. With the large amount of more urgent legislation requiring the immediate attention of the Legislature there seems little prospect, of anything being done this year. Inland Fisheries, For the second season in succession Lake Hotorua was not netted by the Department, the marked improvement in the c lition of the trout as the result of work extending over some years warranting the lake's being reserved for anglers. In the early part: of the season fish were taken for sale from Lake Rotoiti, but though (he catches showed a better class of tish than previously they were not sufficient to warrant the keeping open of the Kotorua depot. For the rest of the season Lake Taupo was utilized for supplying both Rotorua and the southern markets. As in the past, the great difficulty experienced in obtaining suitable men militated against the success of the operations, and this was unfortunately further accentuated by spells of very rough weather. Senovn Fie Investigations. Mr. Phillips, of the Museum stall, continued his investigations during the year. He has presented a report, which is now being considered along with one by Dr. li. J. Tillyard, on insect food of trout in the thermal regions.