H.—22

28

As in past years, the Observatory is again indebted to individuals and to institutions for valuable gifts of publications. The New Zealand Astronomical Society.* An interesting event of 1920 was the formation of the New Zealand Astronomical Society, just a century after the. Royal Astronomical Society was formed in London. Historical Records. In accordance with the policy of the, Government to preserve historical records, the site used for the observations of the transit of Venus, Bth December, 1874, at Queenstown, has been reserved by the Government. Dr. (.'. If. F. Peters was in charge of the American astronomers who observed the transit, and he gave the positionf of the station as 45° 2' 7" south latitude, and II h. 14 m. 40-4 s. (=l6B° 40' 6") longitude east of Greenwich. The Surveyor-General reported that the position of the brick pillar used for the observations is in Section 11, Block 36, Queenstown, 28 ft. from Melbourne Street and 41 ft. from the boundary of Section 12. The transfer of this astronomical observing-station has been registered, and the Crown's title deposited in the Head Office, Department of Lands and Survey, as Otago deed No. 1540. It is recommended that a permanent pedestal containing a record of these facts should be erected on the site. Sfismolooy. The Milne seismograph No. 20 has been in use during the year. In January, 1921, it was overhauled and. readjusted. The instrument records the E.-W. component. The earthquake reports from the, seismograph records are being distributed to other seismological stations* beginning with the month of January, 1.921, and are also sent to the seismological committee of the British Association for the Advancement of Science. In addition to these instrumental records, a system of non-instrumental records was inaugurated by the former Government Seismologist—the late Mr. George Hogben —with the officers of the Post and Telegraph Department. These officers receive a daily time-signal from the Observatory, and consequently their reports are usually accurate to the nearest quarter-minute. The reports are forwarded to the Observatory, and supplement the instrumental records. A lecord is also kept of all newspaper reports of local earthquakes. With a, view to obtaining evidence of any tilting of the ground, sensitive levels are mounted on the concrete pier of the seismograph, and frequently show evidence of tilt. The Milne-Shaw seismograph ordered last year has not arrived from England. C. E. Adams, Government Astronomer and Seismologist. The Under-Secretary, Department of Internal Affairs, Wellington. VIII. REPORT OF THE CONSERVATOR OF FISH AND GAME. Rotorua, 22nd July, 1921. I have the honour to submit my annual report on the work done in connection with tin; freshwater fisheries for the season 1920-21. Netting operations were not carried out during the season, on account of the unsettled state of commerce and the high cost of essential materials. The work in connection with the hatchery was successfully performed from June, to August, a total of 1,371,000 ova being collected. Of these, 491,000 were hatched and liberated in various North Island rivers, while the remaining 880,000 ova were disposed of to Fiji, Sydney, and local acclimatization societies, while, a few small private orders were also fulfilled. Of the fry, 81,000 were supplied free. For the purpose of improving the strain of rainbow trout in the rivers and lakes of the thermal district, especially in Lakes Taupo and Rotorua, a consignment of 250,000 rainbow-trout ova, was received from Lake Hawea hatchery. They were; successfully hatched out at the hatchery and liberated, and, together with subsequent consignments, should be the means of improving the local fish. Alterations and additions to the hatchery building have been effected, and 10 chains of wooden piping have been laid to convey fresh clean water to the troughs. This work was absolutely necessary on account of the road-drainage polluting the former supply. In January I visited the Fiords district for the purpose of submitting a report on the moose and wapiti herds, and also visited Wellington on departmental business. Dr. Tillyard visited Rotorua during the hatchery season and reported on the means of increasing the food-supply for trout. For the year ended 31st March, 192.1, 645 shags have been destroyed at a cost of £80 12s. 6d. F. Moorhouse, Conservator of Fish and Game. The Under-Secretary, Department of Internal Affairs, Wellington.

* New Zealand Journal of Science and Technology, Vol. iv, p. 95. '|- " Observations of the Transit of Venus, December 8-9, 1874," Part i, p. 21. Edited by Simon JSlewcomb, Washington. Government Printing Office, 1880.