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netting operations is being maintained. Investigations arc being made as to the advisability of netting certain areas of water which, are stated to be overstocked. Shags. —For reason of economy, the payment of 2s. 6d. for each shag destroyed, has been withdrawn ; but in order to cope with the natural increase of these birds arrangements were made to destroy a number of the largest shaggeries in and around the district during the breeding season. Fish-curing. —Arrangements were again made at Taupo for anglers and others to have their catches of trout preserved. , Distinguished Visitors. The Right Hon. V. S. Srinivasa Sastri, P.C, wdio was deputed by the Government of India to visit Canada, Australia, and New Zealand with the object of discussing with the Govcrnmemts and Parliaments of the dominions mentioned questions affecting the rights of citizenship of Indians lawfully resident in those countries, arrived at Wellington on the 11th July, 1922. The visit was confined to the North Island, eleparture being taken from Auckland on the 25th. idem. In a report submitted by the right honourable gentleman to the Indian Government upon his visit to New Zealand, since his return to India, it is gratifying to find that, as a result of his investigations, appreciation is expressed of the manifestations of sympathy shown everywhere for India and. her people, and a genuine desire to establish a friendly understanding between the two parts of the Empire by the removal of outstanding differences. The French cruiser " Jules Michelet," under the command of Rear Admiral Gilly, with the members of the French Trade Mission on board, arrived in Auckland on the 16th January, 1923, and sailed from Wellington on the 31st January. During their stay the Admiral and his staff were the! guests of the Dominion, while two hundred of the petty officers and men belonging to the warship were taken to Rotorua, where they were most hospitably received by the citizens, both European and Maori. In addition, the civic authorities at Auckland, Wellington, anel other centres visited by Admiral Gilly extended all possible, civic courtesies. On each occasion the entertainment and reception arrangement-*! were entrusted to this Department. Dominion Analyst and Chief Inspector op Explosives. As a detailed report of the operations of the Dominion Analyst and Chief Inspector of Explosives is being printed a brief summary only is maele hereunder. Analyses. —The samples submitted by the Mines Department comprised pig-iron fluxes and slag from the recently erected smelting-furnaoe at Onakaka. The iron was found to be of good quality. Numerous and various samples of foodstuffs were examined, some of which were deficient in essential parts, while preservatives were detected in foodstuffs in which they are not permitted. The use of artificial colourings is still prevalent. In regard to milk-samples, an outstanding serious defect is that, out of 2,212 samples, twenty-two contained excessive dirt. A series of analyses of several brands of chloroform and ether used for anaesthetic purposes indicate that there is eleterioration with age. It has been recommended that the date of manufacture be stamped on every container. Research. —The composition and firing properties of several clay deposits have been determined along similar lines as formerly. The previously expressed opinion that New Zealand contains a considerable variety of very useful clays has been confirmed by Mr. Joseph Keelo, Chief of the Ceramic Division, Mines Department, Canada, who recently visited the Dominion. Explosive and Dangerous Goods. —With the object of lowering distribution and agency costs of explosives for the mining industry on the west coast of the South Island, Greymouth and Westport have been made ports of first entry for explosives, anel a magazine established at Westport. Owing to the erection of residential buildings in the vicinity of private magazines at Invercargill the Department has, pending the erection of a permanent magazine, taken over two private magazines so that proper distribution may be ensured. Proceedings were taken, against a number of persons for storing dangerous goods in unauthorized or unlicensed premises. In each case a conviction was recorded and a fine imposed. Alexander Turnbull Library. Cataloguing. —At the 31st March, 1923, about twenty thousand volumes had been classified, numbered, and placed on the shelves. The whole of these volumes deal with Pacific literature, including Australia and New Zealand ; but the books in Maori and in the dialects of the Pacific — mostly small books, and numbering many hundreds—have not yet been catalogued. About five hundred volumes were sent to the Government Printer for binding or lettering. ' Additions. —It is estimated that four hunelred new books have been added, comprising new publications, or old ones not already in the library. Among them are foreign works on Pacific travel and anthropology, eleven Dutch, one Danish, eleven French, twenty-four German, three Italian, one Portuguese, and four Spanish. The securing of these was made possible by the examination of many Continental catalogues, besides the various British ones received. It may be noted that, through Danish correspondence, a copy of Borschgrevink's " Naermest Sydpolen" was obtained, and. a presentation copy of Landtman's anthropological notes on New Guinea. A Dutch scientific expedition has also been, carrying on extensive anthropological and other work in New Guinea, and their publications are being received. The groat bulk of the additions comprise works on the history, anthropology, &c, of the Pacific, including Australia and New Zealand ; a few are works in literature, these being principally additions to sets begun by the late Mr. Turnbull, such as the Loeb Classics, the Champlain Society (Canada) publications, Hakluyt Society publications, Navy Records Society publications. Advantage was taken of a local sale to aeld some forty books on Shakespeare and the drama to the dramatic section, and early editions of Masefield and others to the modern-poetry section.