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Inspection of Machinery. A considerable number of machinery plants was found to be without efficient guards. The assistance of Inspectors has been, sought by machinery-owners in many difficult matters of guarding and maintaining at the same time the efficiency of the machine. Their advice and sketches of approved, arrangements have been much appreciated. Examination of Marine Engineers. The total number of applicants who sat for examination (marine and land) are shown in a separate statement in this report. During the year new questions were prepared for the first-, second-, and third-class marine engineers' examinations. Many of the questions in the old papers were out of date, and, the old papers did not contain questions on modern improvements in, marine engines, boilers, and other machinery. I have, &c. N. D. Hood, Assistant Chief Inspector of Machinery, Assistant Chief Surveyor of Ships, Assistant Chief Examiner of Marine Engineers, Land Engineers, Stationary-engine Drivers, and Electric-tram Drivers. The Secretary, Marine and. Inspection of Machinery Department, Wellington. The Chief Inspector of Fisheries to the Secretary, Marine Department. Sir, — Marine Department, Wellington, 12th June, 1922. I have the honour to present the following report on the fisheries of the Dominion for the year ended 31st March, 1922 :— During the year I visited the following fishing-ports and fishing-grounds, viz. : Whangaroa, Bay of Islands, Whangaroi, Kaipara, Hauraki Gulf, Manakau, Great Barrier, Thames, Hawke Bay, Wanganui, Cook Strait, Picton, Blenheim, Kaikoura, Kaiapoi, Lyttelton, Hokitika, Greymouth, Timaru, Oamaru, Port Chalmers, Invercargill, Rivcrton, Bluff, and Stewart Island. I also made special inspections of the oyster-beds at Whangaroa, Bay of Islands, Whangarei, Hauraki Gulf, Great Barrier, and Manakau. During the last salmon-spawning season I assisted with the netting and collection of eggs at Pembroke, and also with the hatching-out and liberation of young salmon on the West Coast and Marlborough districts. From the reports and returns received from the Collectors of Customs and Inspectors of Fisheries at the various ports it would seem that fish were plentiful on most of the fishing-grounds, and on the whole the supply for the markets has been well maintained, throughout the year. In certain districts, particularly off the Otago and Canterbury coasts, unfavourable weather hindered fishing operations for some time, and this caused a shortage of fish on the Dunedin market, and also considerably reduced the fishermen's earnings. During the summer months jellyfish came in to the. Thames Gulf in such immense quantities that for weeks at a time the fishermen were unable to set their nets, and had to remain idle on that account. In the northern districts sharks and. dogfish were very plentiful during the warm months, and did a lot of damage to fishermen's nets. The fishing fleet has been increased by the addition of several up-to-date auxiliary launches, and by two modern steam trawlers from England. During the year the Marine Department advanced the sum of £3,220 to fishermen for the purchase of and for building now fishing-vessels. The advances were made on twelve launches, and the amounts ranged from £125 to £750. The total quantity of fish brought in from the fishing-grounds during the year was about 263,121, cwt., wholesale value about £362,396 15s. The total quantity of oysters marked, from the beds, including Foveaux Strait and the northern rock-oysters, last season was 31,706 sacks, the . wholesale value of which was £23,104. The quantity and value of whale-oil and other products from the whaling-stations was 362 tons of oil, 40 tons bonedust, and 7 cwt. whalebone, valued at £12,063 ; the, total value for the year being about £397,563 15s. The following proceedings have been taken for breaches of the Fisheries Act, viz.: Master of trawler " Cowan," trawling inside prohibited trawling-limits—convicted, fined £10, and £1 Bs. costs (vessel confiscated, but redeemed on payment of £100 and £50 for forfeited fish) ; George Westrupp, selling fish from an unlicensed fishing-boat—convicted and ordered to pay £1 7s. 6d. costs ; W. M. Bailey, stalling for flounders—convicted, fined £3, and 7s. costs ; J. Ball and S. Ramsay, for being in possession of undersized flounders —each convicted and fined £1, and 4s. 6d. costs ; W. Gabey, for poaching oysters —convicted, fined £5, and 7s. costs ; W. Merson and Mrs. B. Mueller, for poaching oysters —each convicted, fined, £5, and 7s. costs ; J. Gray, K. Austin, and L. Bagstrom, for poaching oysters -convicted, fined £1 each, and 7s. costs ; R. Huxley, J. Dunwoddic, A. Smith, and A. Reid, for poaching oysters —convicted and fined £2 each, and costs £1 Bs. (launch and gear forfeited, but redeemed on payment of £12) ; L. Lecaustre, for poaching oysters —convicted, fined £5, and £1 2s. costs ; J. Bakalich, for poaching oysters —fined £5, and 7s. costs ; W. .1. Doyle, for poaching oysters, fined £5, and 7s. costs ; C. M. Crowley, for poaching oysters —convicted and fined £1, and 7s. costs ; J. W. Jeffcote, for poaching oysters —convicted, fined £7, and 12s. costs ; Mrs. T. Mackenzie and Mrs. D. Johnston, for poaching oysters —convicted, fined £5 each, and 16s. costs ; E. H. Overton, for poaching oysters—convicted, fined £7, and 17s. costs ; T. Cross, for poaching oysters —fined £7, and