H.—22

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acceptable to the Department. Later on the Tokaanu staff oaused considerable trouble. On one oocasion the launch was set on tire; on another the launch was lost for some hours, it having been blown from anchorage; and lastly the large hauling-net was lost overboard. Later the staff were dispensed with, the depot closed down, and the operations for the remainder of the season confined to the Taupo end of the lake. For the convenience of tourists and others arrangements were again made whereby tourists could get: their catches cured at a cost of 10s. per dozen fish. The work of bringing about a general improvement of the fisheries in such a vast extent of water as Lake Taupo must necessarily vary, as each season's work is governed by the weather conditions. The work carried 011 in Lake itotorua was made practically easy, as in such a lake weather, conditions do not cause many delays, and the lake-bottom afforded good grounds for netting purposes; To bring the tish back to their present fine condition in Lake llotorua the work had to be systematically carried on for three years, so that it is expected the work at Lake Taupo will take a much longer period. At present the work is carried out with two launches, each with a staff of three men. They leave for the fishing-grounds each day about 2 p.m. and return next morning between 4 and 10 a.m., on occasions the launch during the time having run some thirty miles. Along all the shore of the lake there are only a few good places where the net oan be safely used, as large beds of submerged rocks and trees are found at the mouth of nearly every river. At such places only the set nets can be used, and, as they require to remain set some hours before lifting, there is always the danger of the lake becoming so rough that the nets have to be left until such time as the weather again moderates. The particulars of the work done at the two depots, Kotorua and Tokaanu, are as follows : — lio/orua Depot. Weight, Lake liotoiti— Number. ,£ Fresh trout ... ... 2,494 0,782 Lake Taupo— Fresh trout ... ... 3,426 12.433J Smoked trout ... 340 751" Season total ... ... 6,260 19,966| Number of (ish rejected, 740; total number caught, 7,000. Total weight of lish caught, from Rotoiti, .'! tons 11 cwt. 3 qr. 22 Ib.; total weight caught at Taupo end. 7 tons 14e\vt. 0 qr. 8 Ib. Tokaan-u Depot, Number. W |^ bt Fresh trout ... 5,040 17,44(U Smoked trout ... ... ... 2,681 6,490 Season total ... ... 7,727 23,936^ Number of lish rejected, 780; total number caught, 8,507. Total weight of Tokaanu fish caught, 15 tons 3 cwt. •'! (jr. 8 Ib. In all I L,493 lish were taken from Lake Taupo, weighing 22 lons 17 cwt. 3qr. 16 lb. During the year Ist June, 1919, to -'list May, 1920, 1,117 shags' heads were purchased, at a cost of £139 12s.' (id. HaTC'HKKY OI'IOKATJOiNi-i. The ova-collecting season started on the sth June, 1919, and a daily collection of ova was made up to the 15th August last, a total of 2,245,000 ova being collected. As usual, free contributions of ova were made to the North of Auckland rivers, and a, large consignment of rainbow-trout fry was also liberated in the rivers of the Tongariro National Park. Large consignments of ova were disposed of at (lisborne, Napier, Wellington, Sydney, and Auckland. The total number of rainbow ova, disposed of was 1,475,000; the total number of rainbow fry, 578,000 : total, 2,053,000. F. Moorhouse, Conservator of Fish and Game. The Under-Secretary, Department of Internal Affairs, Wellington,

IX. REPORT OF INSPECTOR OF TOTALIZATORS. Wellington, Kith October, 1920. 1 have the honour to submit my second report on the inspection of totalizators for the racing year which ended on the 31st July last. The number of days on which the totalizator was used during the year was 281. made up as follows: Racing clubs, 216 days; hunt clubs, 8 days; trotting clubs, 60 days: total, 284 days. This number is forty-eight days more than last year, when the number of days was curtailed owing to the war, and is three days in excess of the number allowed by statute —namely, 281. The three extra permits were used as follows : One for the special trotting meeting held in Christchurch on the 6th September, 1919, on the occasion of the visit of Admiral Lord Jellicoe; and two special race meetings, of six races each, held in Auckland and Christchureh in April and May respectively, on the occasion of the visit of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales. The three extra permits will require to be validated by legislation. Although the trotting clubs held only sixty days' trotting, there were ninety-nine trotting races included last year in racing-club programmes, equal to over twelve full days' trotting.