17

H.—2

Lakes Manapouri and Te Anau, and the Fiordland National Park. There has been a decided increase in the volume of the tourist traffic to Te Anau, Manapouri, and the Milford district. The total receipts for the year amounted to £2,114 18s. 9d., as against £1,711 7s. (id. for the previous year. Glade House has had a very successful season, the income for the year being £741 25., as against £603 Bs. for the previous year. There was a marked improvement in the traffic on Te Anau this year, the trip up and down the lake being made very popular by extending the run of the steamer so as to include the picturesque North Arm on the up and South Arm on the down journey. To arrange this and to fit in with coach and rail services it was necessary to run the up journey on a Sunday; but, owing to objections raised to Sunday running on the part of certain church authorities, it was discontinued, and the old time-table reverted to. The work of clearing and snagging the Waiau River between Te Anau and Manapouri was completed in September last; but, in order to make it safe for traffic, wire rope will need to be provided for hauling. When this has been provided the river will bo navigable for a shallowdraught oil-launch. It is veiy desirable that the route should be opened up at an early date. The trip on the river between the two lakes will lie a very attractive one, and visitors will be able to avoid the present rough and somewhat dreary coaching-road between the two lakes. Stewart Island. The tourist traffic to this resort has been exceptionally heavy this season, especially during the period 15th December, 1907, to 18th February, 1908. All available accommodation was usually booked ahead, and consequently many who went over to the island without having made prior arrangements were obliged to sleep in tents. By the courtesy of the Bluff Harbour Board I am able to give the number of visitors to the island (luring last year and the preceding year: Year ending 31st March, 1907, 2,277; year ending 31st March, 1908, 2,476. In addition to this, fifty or sixty were conveyed in the s.s. "Nile." Native Bird-life. —Captain Dore reports a large increase in ducks, weka, and crested grebe in the vicinity of Lake Manapouri. The tui, or parson-bird, is becoming very scarce, and the scarcity is attributed to the ravages of the kohoperoa (long-tailed cuckoo), which destroys the young tuis in their nests. Crows and saddlebacks have not been seen around the lake for some time, and parrakeets are becoming very scarce. There is not much to report with reference to the bird-life in the above park beyond that given in my last annual report, except that during the warm summer there was a big increase of young weka, pigeons, and kaka. Owing to the favourable climatic conditions, the blossoms of the various trees and shrubs were in great profusion, with the exception of the rata, which did not bloom. Native Biro Sanctuaries. Tittle Barrier Island. The increase in the number of native birds on the Little Barrier Island sanctuary is very satisfactory, a noticeable feature being the unusual number and the extreme tameness of the beautiful bell-bird, or korimako. The custodian, Mr. Shakespear, in his annual report, writes as follows: — " Although the year was so wet and stormy, the weather had begun to settle somewhat before the breeding season commenced, and there was therefore no perceptible diminution in the increase of the birds generally, but the very dry summer drove all the feathered tribe, with the exception of the korimako. to the bush. In February of last year there was scarcely a bell-bird to be seen or heard on the flat: strange to say, however, this year they lived in and near the peach-trees, keeping up a deafening noise of song when they were not engaged with a peach, of which they consume an incredible quantity in a day " The robin has also been much in evidence during the last year, more so than in any previous year, and on entering a gully one is suddenly confronted by one or two of these silent trustful little birds, who are readily attracted by any noise, especially chopping, and will even venture within two or three feet of the axe on the lookout for grubs. " Tuis were very abundant on the flat during November, December, and the early part of January, the pohutukawas then in bloom being full of them. After January they betook themselves to the mountains to feed on the rata-blossoms. Whiteheads, too, are very "numerous, and flocks of these little birds are to be met with everywhere waging incessant war against the insectworld. In their habits they remind me of the small English tree-creeper, searching the trunks and branches in much the same manner for their food. " After the last heavy rains a snipe was put up on the flat, but, as I did not myself see the bird, I do not know whether it was the Little Barrier variety or not. " Trespassers. —There have been no signs of tresspassers having landed on any part of the island, and the different varieties of birds are in a flourishing condition." Resolution Island. The custodian reports that tui, bell-birds, kaka, and pigeons were fairly plentiful, and other birds were more in evidence than usual, due to their moving about in consequence of the changeable seasons. Such movements make it hard to decide whether they are increasing or

3-H. 2.