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Station 22: Steamer E. x N. from station No. 21 for a quarter of an hour, and shot the net at 12.12 in 20 fathoms. Clean, soft sand bottom, shelving to 44 fathoms —soft ooze and shells. Hauled up the net at 1.50 p.m., in from 40 fathoms, bottom soft ooze. This haul yielded very few edible fish. Considerable quantities of sponges, shells, crabs, and beche-de-mer. Station 23 : The prospects at the last station were so poor that a course was laid towards shallower water, so as to compare the results with those obtained further south, and to get some rough idea of the fish zones in that locality. Shot trawl again at 3.15 p.m., in 24 fathoms; bottom sand and shell. Got 21 fathoms at 4 o'clock, ground becoming very rough. Hauled up trawl at 4.5 p.m., in 13 fathoms, where a foul was struck; Moeraki bearing N.W. | N. 4 miles; Shag Point bearing S.W x W. 3J miles. Net considerably torn. Haul consisted of blue-cod, sea-perch, red-cod, tarakihi, and a few soles, &c. There is evidently good fishing-ground in this vicinity just clear of the reefs, but the bottom is known to be very rough, and we proceeded further north to where the soundings are more even. Lay off Moeraki all night. July 2. —Station 24: Steamed to position at daylight, and shot the net at 8.35 a.m. in 20 fathoms ; fine-sand bottom. Fouled 8.40. Small tear in trawl, which contained 2 dogfish and a few sea-perch and tarakihi. Ground still rough, so steamed north. Station 25: Steamed until 10 a.m., by which time net-repairs were finished. Getting even soundings again, the trawl was shot at 10.5 a.m. in 18 fathoms ; bottom fine sand and shell. Fouled again at 10.45 a.m. in 19 fathoms, lead showing coarse gravel. Haul consisted of bluecod, tarakihi, sea-perch, &c. The ground even to this distance out is very patchy, and is altogether unsuitable for trawling. Station 26: From station 25 steamed N.E. x E. 12 miles, and at 12.55 p.m. shot the net in 40 fathoms, the soundings showing fine-sand bottom. At 2 p.m. hauled in the net in 43 fathoms, from a mud bottom. The haul consisted of large numbers of tarakihi, many of them of small size, one hapuka, and three ling. No flat-fish were taken. The bottom consisted of fine sand, with many sponges and weeds, and a large number of crabs. The deeper hauls proving so unproductive, I do not feel justified in working this wide area where the 100-fathom line is 30 miles off the land, and having to neglect places in from 20 to 30 fathoms, which are probably more productive. It is impossible in the limited time to do more than make an occasional run into the deeper waters in this part. More attention can be paid to the deeper waters where the 100-fathom line is more easily reached. Station 27: From last station stood in till 3.50 p.m., and shot the trawl at 3.55 p.m., in 23 fathoms; bottom fine shell. Trawled west till 4.50 p.m., and hauled up the net in 26 fathoms; bottom coarse sand and shell. Catch consisted of about three hundred very large red-cod and a number of hapuka, large tarakihi, ling, and sea-perch. Very few flat-fish were taken. Lay six miles east of Oamaru for the night. July S. —Station 28 : Morning broke clear and fine, with rising glass. Shot net at 7.25 a.m. in 19 fathoms; fine-sand bottom. Trawled N.E. for 2| hours, and hauled up net at 9 a.m., in 22 fathoms; gravel bottom. Haul very encouraging, consisting of tarakihi, soles, hapuka, and gurnard. Station 29: Steered N.E. one mile to clear masses of weed, and shot the net again at 10.5 a.m. in 25 fathoms; coarse-gravel bottom. Trawled N.E. for 1 hour 11 minutes, and hauled up at 11.15 a.m. A few more soles were taken than in the previous haul, and fewer round fish. Thirty-two large elephant-fish, a few tarakihi, ling, and hapuka were taken. Station 30: Steamed N.E. from 11.30 to 12, and shot the net at 12.15 in 35 fathoms; soft-mud bottom. Trawled N. x E., and hauled the net at 1.15 p.m. in 35 fathoms—black-mud bottom—2o miles N.E. x E. of Oamaru. A large quantity of weed, a few unsaleable fish, and 23 tarakihi were the results of this haul. Station 31 :At 2.30 p.m. got 24 fathoms, with shell bottom, and shot the net. Trawled N. x W. to keep in about 20 fathoms the full length of the haul: 3 p.m., 23 fathoms, shell; 3.40 p.m., 22 fathoms, shell. Hauled trawl at 4.15 p.m. in 21 J fathoms; sand-and-shell bottom. Ground becoming more satisfactory as regards flat-fish, tarakihi, and gurnard. A large number of skate were taken. Very little weed and a few broken pinna shells. Lay-to for the night— glass very low, and falling. Jvly Jf. —Station 32 : The morning broke hazy, but fine. Steamed in towards Waihao River, and shot trawl at 7.45 a.m. in 13 fathoms; shell bottom. Hauled in at 9.5 a.m. in 9 fathoms; stony bottom. This haul produced very poor results —a few flounders and soles, red-cod, and kingfish, and a few unsaleable varieties. Station 33: Steamed 8 miles N. and dropped trawl in 17 fathoms at 10.20 a.m., on fine-sand bottom. Hauled trawl up at 11.35 a.m. from 16 fathoms; fine-sand and mud bottom. Trawl came up remarkably free from weed, and the haul produced 12 very large flounders, a few soles, red-cod, and a considerable number of elephant-fish, dogfish, he. Station 34: Shot the net again at 11.50 in 16 fathoms —fine-sand bottom —and worked towards a shallow area lying to the S.E. of Timaru ; 11.50, 17 fathoms, fine sand; 1 o'clock, 18 fathoms, fine sand; 1.20 p.m., 19 fathoms, fine sand. Hauled up the net at 1.45 p.m. in 21 fathoms; bottom sand and shell. The haul produced a moderate number of flat-fish, the flounders and brill being of very large size, a number of lemon and common sole, gurnard, tarakihi, and a few skate and elephant-fish. Station 35: Shot the trawl again at 2.10 p.m. in 21 fathoms; sand bottom. Trawled E. J S. 6J miles, and hauled in at 4.15 p.m. in 29 fathoms; black-ooze bottom. The trawl came up very free from weed. Flat-fish were again well represented, and were of large size, also gurnard. barracouta, ling, tarakihi, large red-cod, &c.