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The herbarium has been utilized by various New Zealand botanists, while specimens of both native and introduced plants have been submitted for identification by officers of other Government Departments and the public. Dr. Du Rietz, of Sweden, has, during his stay in New Zealand, made full use_ of the herbarium for reference and for dealing with his own New Zealand collections. Birds. —A long-felt want has been remedied by the appointment of a taxidermist, and the collections of mounted birds and skins are being overhauled. Additions include some skins donated by Messrs. Malcolm and Alexander Holmes, and some sea-birds secured from the Southern Islands. Fishes. —Extensive collections, chiefly of fresh-water fish, were made in the East Cape district, Hawke's Bay, Masterton, Lake Rotoaira, and Wellington, resulting in 300 specimens being added to the reference collections. Approximately 150 eels were collected and dispatched to Dr. Schmidt, of Denmark, for his study of Pacific eels. Mr. L. S. Mackie, Otakeho, Taranaki, presented a number of interesting fish. In addition to other taxonomic work on both fresh-water and marine species, an index and reference list of New Zealand fishes has been prepared by the staff and is being published by the Marine Department. Insects. —-A very large and important accession was made to the insect collections by the bequest of the collection of the late Mr. Charles Lewis Cuthbert Fenwick, of Dunedin, who was one of the most assiduous and enthusiastic collectors New Zealand has known. This collection numbers some eight thousand mounted specimens, including several types, and is particularly rich in the Lepidoptera of the Otago Province. Further additions to the collections were made by staff expeditions to Ohakune, and to Waiho Gorge and other localities in Westland. The transference of the collections to dry quarters in the Dominion Farmers' Institute building has considerably minimized routine work, and has allowed more time to be devoted to more specialized work, particularly the systematic arrangement of the New Zealand Coleoptera. During the year over five hundred visitors have been shown the collections, and lecturettes have been given to two hundred and fifty children. As in past years, Messrs. G. V. Hudson and A. Philpott have given much assistance to the determination of species. Conchology. —The most important accessions have been some dredgings from the Hen and Chicken Islands, presented by Captain Bollons ; land mollusca from the Waitakere Ranges, presented by Mr. A. Suter; a parcel of fresh-water mollusca with pearls from Lake Horowhenua, from Mr. R. R. Harris ; and a number of rare species for the reference collection, presented by Messrs. A. B. Powell, E. Ashby, Dr. Bucknill, and Miss M. K. Mestayer. A parcel of North American molluscs was received in exchange. During the year the extensive fossil collections formerly made from Clifden, in Southland, have been cleared and sorted for determination by specialists. Library. —During the year the usual exchanges have been received, and a number of books purchased. A considerable part of the authorized expenditure has been devoted to the binding of volumes, which had been postponed during the war and subsequent years. International Exchange Service.—Sixteen boxes of publications have been received from the Smithsonian Institution, International Exchange Service, and have been distributed to addressees in New Zealand. Similar action has been taken with postal packets received from the International Exchange Services of Belgium (three packets), Hungary (four), Poland (two), and Roumania (two). Publications.—No further museum publications have been issued during the year, but Bulletin No. 6, " The Maori Canoe," by E. Best, is now ready for issue. Besides the Journal of Science and Technology, the Board of Science and Art has issued a reprint of Manual No. 3, " Geomorphology of New Zealand, Part I, Systematic," by C. A. Cotton. Manuals No. 5, " Wild Life in New Zealand, Part II," by G. M. Thomson, and No. 6, " New Zealand Plants and Their Story," (third edition), by L. Cockayne, are now ready for issue. Registrar-General's Office. Registrations.—The past year has been a normal one, though showing a slight increase in the registration of births, deaths, and marriages. Births. —The total birth registrations were 30,093, an increase of some 400 on the previous year's figures. Included in this number are correcting and legitimation entries, registrations under section 27 (after adoption), and under section 24 (special provision for unregistered births). There were 411 adoptions recorded and 345 legitimations, necessitating in every case a new birth registration. There were also 104 registrations under section 24, involving in most cases a great amount of work in assisting parents to obtain corroborative evidence such as baptismal certificates, &c. Maori births registered totalled 1,593, an increase of over 200 on the 1925 figures. Deaths.—There were 11,886 death registrations (including correcting entries). Maori death registrations numbered 902. Marriages. —10,824 marriage notices were received by Registrars, on which certificates authorizing marriage were issued, and 10,774 marriages were solemnized. Of this number 2,149 (or about 20 per cent.) were solemnized by Registrars of Marriages. There were 527 dissolutions of marriage recorded, and 257 marriages of Maoris solemnized under the provisions of the Native Land Act. Officiating Ministers. —On the 31st December last there were 2,014 names on the list of officiating ministers authorized to solemnize marriage, of the following religious denominations : Church of England, 478 ; Presbyterian Church, 405 ; Roman Catholic Church, 303 ; Methodist Church, 279 ; Congregational Independents, 37 ; Baptists, 70; Church of Christ, 30; Salvation Army, 158; Ratana Church, 123; Ringatu Church, 45; other religious bodies, 86. Dentists Register. —During the year 21 dentists were registered and 6 names removed on account of death. Of those registered the qualifications were —Batchelor of Dental Surgery, University of New Zealand, 9 ; and Certificate of Proficiency in Dental Surgery, University of New Zealand, 11. One dentist was registered under the special provisions of section 3 of the Dentists Amendment Act; 1926.

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