H.—ls.

1939. NEW ZEALAND.

MARINE DEPARTMENT. ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR 1938-39.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

Marino Department, Wellington, Ist July, 1939. Your Excellency,— I do myself the honour to transmit for Your Excellency's information the report of the Marine Department for the financial year ended the 31st March last. I have, &c., P. Eraser, His Excellency the Governor-General of the Minister of Marine. Dominion of New Zealand.

REPORT.

The Secretary, Marine Department, to the Hon. the Minister of Marine. Sir, — Marine Department, Wellington, 30th June, 1939. I have the honour to submit the annual report of the Marine Department for the financial year ended 31st March, 1939. This year the data in connection with finance has been deleted from the report in order to expedite publication. The full financial statement, however, is published in parliamentary paper 8.-l [Pt. IV], but it is appropriate here to state that increases have been shown in both revenue and expenditure. A junior Biologist of this Department accompanied the Royal Research Ship " Discovery II," arriving back in New Zealand in the mid-year. This was a rare and valuable opportunity for a young scientist to take part in modern research work directed by eminent scientists with the best available equipment. This Department gratefully acknowledges its indebtedness to the " Discovery " Committee for the opportunity afforded. A Fresh-water and a Marine Biologist from the Fisheries Section attended the meeting of the Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science at Canberra, Australia, in January of this year, and valuable personal contacts were made with overseas workers engaged in the study of similar problems. Good progress with the charting of the New Zealand coast-line, commenced last year, has been made by the Admiralty Surveying Ship " Endeavour." Complete charts of the approaches to Auckland, of the coast-line as far as Mercury Bay, and of Mercury Bay itself have now been accurately drawn and forwarded to the Admiralty. The survey of Great Barrier Island has been completed, while at the end of the year the survey vessel was engaged in the area to the northward as far as Bay of Islands. The most serious shortcoming of the old charts is their lack of soundings : for the new charts sea depths are being recorded at close intervals as far out as the 100-fathom line, and such a complete charting of the sea bottom will be especially useful to ships equipped with echo-sounders when making a landfall bound for New Zealand. Representations have been made at times by masters of ships urging the prior claim of certain localities for the attention of the surveying ship. For instance, Cook Strait and Foveaux Strait have been mentioned as deserving of priority, and on this matter correspondence has been opened with the Admiralty. Assistance to navigation by the installation of radio beacons at points on the coast-line has proceeded during the year, and the more rapid delivery of the apparatus from England has led to improved progress. It would now, perhaps, be safe to say that New Zealand is pushing ahead of some older countries in the provision of these aids to navigation. Cook Strait is now adequately served with radio beacons installed at Baring Head, Cape Campbell, and Stephens Island, the latter two being put into operation during the end of the year. In the north the heavy constructional works for beacons and electrification at Cuvier and Moko Hinau Islands has been done, and the beacons will shortly be operating.

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