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Direct Mailing List. —The direct mailing list, which includes prominent people in all parts of the world, has been largely added to. Articles for Publication Overseas.. —A considerable number of articles, with photographic illustrations, have been prepared and dispatched from the Office, and these have been published in magazines and papers in America, Australia, the United Kingdom, and elsewhere. Descriptive articles for this purpose have been received from such well-known writers as Mr. James Cowan, Mr. L. Fanning, and Mr. Elsdon Best. Administration. —During the year a' decision was made to amalgamate the work of the Publicity Office with that of the Department of Industries and Commerce and the Department of Tourist and Health Resorts. This decision will be given effect in April, and is expected to give improved results by a greater co-ordination of effort both within the Dominion and overseas. The appointment of a Trade and Tourist Commissioner to Canada (who will also, cover other North American territory) and the reorganization of New Zealand representation in Australia are similarly expected to give more effective publicity to the varied attractions and resources of the Dominion. Dominion Museum. Maori Ethnology.—The work of overhauling and renovating the large Maori carvings has been steadily carried on. The repainting of the designs on the rafters of the large Turanga house has been a long process. There are thirty-two rafters, painted in sixteen designs, which were almost obliterated during the time the house was erected in the old Museum. Presumably this was caused by fumes from the gas, with which the house was formerly lighted. The designs are now being carefully retraced, and painted in red, white, and black. The barge-boards of several houses and patakas have been assembled, repaired, painted, and suspended in the Sydney Street shed. The outstanding event of the year was the arrival of the hull of the war-canoe " Teremoe," received from Wanganui in exchange for two canoe-carvings. The hull has now been painted, and bow and stern pieces fitted. For the top-strakes four large pieces of totara timber have been procured and are awaiting an opportunity to fit them before the actual work of carving them is undertaken. The additions to the Maori collection include an ancient bone maripi (knife) handle, an uncommon type of greenstone adze, a unique bone mere from Otago, and a large example of a greenstone adze showing the process of cutting. Foreign Ethnology. —The whole of the foreign ethnological collections have been assembled and classified in the old Maori house, and are gradually being registered. Mr. W. W. Thorpe, of the Australian Museum, Sydney, was employed for five days, and gave valuable assistance by naming and stating the localities of all unnamed material. Mammals.—Several mammals, including a sea-leopard, have been received from the Newtown Zoo, and have been mounted by the taxidermist. Birds.—The mounting of new specimens received from the Zoo and other sources, together with the renovation of the main collection, has occupied a considerable portion of the taxidermist's time. Fishes. —The principal addition to the fish collection was the mould taken from a large sunfish caught off Palliser Bay. The mould has been safely stored in the Museum shed. There being no space in the Museum large enough and no door sufficiently large to admit it, the actual cast will not be taken until a new Museum is provided. Insects.—The rearrangement of the New Zealand Lepidoptera, involving the use of the new cabinet, is still proceeding. A descriptive exhibit illustrating the life-history of the puriri-moth has been placed on exhibition. Additions to the collections' include a cabinet containing about three thousand specimens of foreign Lepidoptera presented by Mrs. B. Royle, and some local collections made by members of the staff on the Tararua Mountains. Herbarium.—The work of mounting the Petrie herbarium is proceeding. Some local collecting by the botanical assistant was done on the Tararua Mountains. Research work on the microscopic structure of New Zealand timbers is being carried out. New Zealand History. —Materials are gradually being accumulated for an exhibit illustrating the history of New Zealand from the time of Tasman and Cook. Besides smaller exhibits, a whaling try-pot and a gun from H.M.S. " Boyd " were added to the collections. Newtown Museum.—The whole of the collections in the Newtown Museum were handed over by the Wellington City Corporation to the care of the Dominion Museum in July, 1929. They will be kept in their present building until space is provided in a new museum. International Exchange Service. —Forty-five cases of publications have been received from the Smithsonian Institution, and the contents distributed to various recipients throughout the Dominion. Publications from European exchange services have also been dealt with. Work for Publication. —A general reference book on the birds of New Zealand by the Director is in course of publication. Mr. Phillipps is preparing a similar work on the sporting and edible fishes of New Zealand, and has published some further papers on fishes. Mr. Elsdon Best has continued his work on the Maori, and has published two Museum bulletins, one on fishing methods and the other on the whare kohanga (nest-house). A bulletin on Maori mythology is completed, and one on forest lore in course of preparation. Papers on botanical subjects by the Director include accounts of the genera Drachophyllum and Metrosideros, fossil flora of the Ormond district, and New Zealand epiphytes. Miss Heine is preparing microscope sections of New Zealand timbers for future study. The life-history of the moth Porina cervinata, whose larva is destructive to pasture-grasses, is being investigated by Miss Plank. Registrar-General's Office. Births.—The total birth registrations were 28,408, a slight decrease on the previous year's figures. Included in this number are correcting and legitimation entries, registrations under section 27 (after adoption), and under section 24 (special provision for unregistered births). Four hundred and eleven adoptions, 349 legitimations, and 109 registrations under section 24 were recorded. Deaths. — There were 12,375 death registrations (including correcting - entries). Maori death registrations numbered 1,002.