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to appoint another Examiner who would be able to devote his time principally to this work; and in February of this year Captain Thomas Alexander Dykes was appointed for this position. Captain Dykes, who possesses an extra master's certificate, appears to be well fitted for the post, having had several years of experience as an officer in sailing-vessels, as well as in steam, and has also been in command of steamers for five or six years. He was latterly chief officer of the Government s.s. " Tutanekai," and is very highly spoken of by Captain Post. I feel assured that tlit- Examiners are all gentlemen who can be relied on to do their duty faithfully and impartially, and at the same time I believe them to be gentlemen of pleasant and even temper, so that there has never been a word of complaint from candidates of unkind treatment. No candidates have yet applied to be examined for the new grade of second mate home-trade. Probably one reason for this is that there is no provision in our present regulations for allowing such service to count towards qualifying for a master's certificate. It would be an encouragement to men to pass this examination if second mate's service was counted, say, as half or two-thirds the service of the first mate if performed in vessels which are required by law to carry a second mate. There have been very few examinations for fishing-boat or cargo-vessel master, or for restricted limits sailing-vessel master. With regard to this latter examination and qualification a curious anomaly arises. The difference existing between the qualifications required for master of sailing-vessels under 25 tons register carrying passengers in river limits and that required for masters of river-steamers of any size is very marked. The former are required to have four years of service at sea or in extended river limits, and some knowledge of the ship's compass, deviation, and the chart, whereas the latter are onry required to have one year's service in any river 01 harbour, and are not required to have any knowledge of the compass or chart. Yet the master with the sailing-vessel certificate cannot take charge of a steamer, but the master of a steamer with practically no experience can take charge of the sailing-vessel by simply putting an oil-engine in the vessel, when, according to law, she becomes a steamer. He need no longer then be confined to the limit of 25 tons, as there is no restriction of tonnage for the steamers. I have more than once before drawn attention to the fact that the law still allows a man with only a river steamer's certificate and one year's service in a harbour, lake, or river, to command passenger vessels running to all parts of the extended limits, such as between Auckland and Whangarei. To meet the requirements of candidates for master of fishing-boats under r> tons, and of candidates for master of small steam-launches. Examiners have been appointed at Gisborne and Tiiuranga, and at the latter port several candidates have lately passed as master of small fishingboats. Captain Goertz, who was appointed as Examiner in April, 1907, had to resign owing to his leaving the port, and Captain F. J. Beach was appointed in March, 1908, in his place. Captain William dimming, Harbourmaster at Gisborne, was appointed as Examiner of fishingboat master of vessels under 5 tons in August, 1907. In February of this year Mr. Walter William Hender, an officer in the Union Steamship Company, passed very successfully the examination for extra master. He is the first candidate in this country who has passed this examination since they were required to have a knowledge of naval architecture, and he showed that he had a good grasp of the subject. The British Board of Trade are making new regulations relative to candidates having a knowledge of the British signal manual and the Morse and semaphore signals, also with regard to their having a knowledge of first aid to the injured. They have requested the Dominion to adopt the same regulations at as early a date as possible, and the Hon. Minister of Marine has accordingly decided that these regulations shall come into force on the Ist January, 1909. Notices to this effect were gazetted in November, 1907. and March, 1908. I have, &c, H. S. 81-ACKBURNE. The Hon. Secretary, Marine Fish Hatchery, Portobello, to the Secretary, Marine Department. 51 arine Fish Hatchery and Biological Station, Portobello, Dear Sir, — Dunedin, sth May, 1908. 1 am directed by my Board to furnish a report of the work of this station done during the year ended 31st December, 1907. My letter to the Hon. Minister of 25th April, 1907, summarised our operations up to that date. During May last we received from the Christchurch Exhibition six of the glass-fronted tanks used there, which have since been set up at the station, and prove to be of great use in isolating fish while breeding, and for observing their habits, &o. The chairman wrote to the Hon. Minister on Sth April suggesting that inquiries should be made through the High Commissioner as to the most suitable food-fishes for introduction to the Dominion, to which a reply was received from you dated 2<)th Maw No. 90/166. A further report as to the proceedings of the Board was sent to you on 20th June, 1907. In July Mr. T. Anderton, the Hoard's Curator, at your request, relieved Mr. Ayson, who was in ill health, of his duties as officer in charge of the trawler " Nora Niven." on an experimental cruise off the shores of New Zealand. Mr. Anderton was absent until 9th September on this duty, which, I understand, he discharged entirely to the satisfaction of the Department. The Hon. Minister having authorised the Board to spend £100 in acquiring an oil-launch for use at the hatchery, a very suitable boat was procured locally, and a few alterations made to