H.—ls.

it can be done at a sufficiently low cost to be a profitable line of oyster-cultivation. An answer will be provided to this question in due course. The following statement shows the amount of the several classes of cultivation work carried out during the year and the cost of the same. Oyster-cultivation. Area, Work done, and Cost:— I. Bay of Islands: 727,000 borers and 1,460 pupus destroyed; 1,450 square yards of rock cleared of weed, and 50 square yards cleared of dead shell; 67 square yards of rock-face blasted to expose additional clean surface. Cost, £50. 111. Kaipara : 29,260 square yards of clean stone laid down ; 143,600 borers destroyed. Cost, £482 9s. 4d. (stone work only). IV. Takatu to Gull Point: 244,800 borers and 329 pupus destroyed ; 402 square yards of rook cleared of weed. Cost, nil. Y. South Shore, Tamaki Strait: 70,200 borers and 50 pupus destroyed. Cost, nil. VI. Coromandel: 313,200 borers and 2,240 pupus destroyed ; 350 square yards of rock cleared of weeds ; 115 boulder-tops cleaned ; 100 concrete slabs, with transplanted young oysters, erected. Cost, £14 19s. 2d. VII. Kawau : 360 capstones removed and relaid ; 125,900 borers and 134 pupus destroyed ; 185 square yards of rock cleaned of weeds and 62 square yards of dead shell; 200 pumice-concrete posts erected. Cost (of posts), £39 7s. 6d. X. Motutapu : 145,100 borers and 165 pupus destroyed. Cost, nil. XII. Motuihi: 32,000 borers and 19 pupus destroyed. Cost, nil. XIII. Waiheke : 1,016,600 borers and 894 pupus destroyed; 4,976 square yards of rock cleared of weed ; 885 square yards of rock cleared of dead shell. Cost, £42 2s. lid. XIV. Ponui: 597,000 borers and 303 pupus destroyed. Cost, nil. XVI. Great Barrier: 391 square yards oyster-bearing rock shifted to better position; 39,000 borers destroyed ; 668 yards of rock cleared of weed. Cost, £10 Bs. All areas : 391 square yards of oyster-bearing rock shifted to better position ; 29,260 square yards of clean rock laid down ; 360 capstones removed and relaid ; 3,454,400 borers and 5,534 pupus destroyed ; 7,639 square yards of rock cleared of weeds ; 1,399 square yards of rock cleared of dead shell; 67 square yards of rock-face blasted ; 200 pumice concrete posts erected ; 100 seed-oyster slabs transplanted from Kawau to Coromandel; 115 rock-tops cleaned. Cost of labour and material, £639 6s. lid. Dredge Oysters. During the Foveaux Strait oyster season (February to September inclusive) for 1935 a total of 49,712 sacks of oysters was landed —a slight, decrease compared with the total of 52,254 sacks for the previous season. The returns of individual landings indicate no decline in the productivity of the beds, and the difference is probably connected with the factor of demand which hinges upon questions relating to price and transport conditions. A discussion of these questions is scarcely relevant in this report; but it may perhaps be mentioned that our method of transporting oysters of this kind for long distances by land and sea in sacks is one that has been superseded many years ago in most, if not all, other countries. The commercial reason for using sacks is that they are chea,p, while barrels or boxes as used for live oysters in other parts of the world would be dear ; and oysters are a relatively cheap commodity in New Zealand. The long-distance transport of " shucked " oysters in cans kept at low temperature would also be attended by difficulties arising out of our primitive methods of conveying perishable foodstuffs. Here again it may be said that, if it paid to provide better conditions, it would be done. However, it would appear that the problems at. least call for more comprehensive and expert consideration than they have hitherto received, which might be given in connection with a critical and constructive review of the oyster industry in all its aspects. The scientific and technical light that it is possible at the present time to throw on the subject might very well enable more profitable use to be made of the products of this industry to the benefit of both producers and consumers or would-be consumers. An estimate of the extent of our oyster resources based on a scientific survey of the beds and the exploration of potential oyster-grounds by means of biological observations and experiments are matters that call for attention before the question of the substantial development of the oyster industry can be dealt with rationally. Exports of fresh oysters from the Bluff show a slight decline in quantity but a slight rise in value :— Quality. Value. Doz. £ 1934-35 .. .. 206,660 1,853 1935-36 .. .. .. .. .. 196,114 2,043 This is equivalent to a little over 3,000 sacks which is about 6 per cent> of the total landings. There are indications of a substantial increase in the oyster-canning industry in the Dominion, 172,855 lb. of canned oysters (value, £6,444) being exported during the year, as against 95,2701b. (value £3,818) for the previous year. Toheroas. During the year 75,288 lb. of toheroas were packed at the two northern canneries, and the export statistics show that 24,836 lb. of toheroas, preserved in tins, were exported during the same period. It has not been possible to give so much attention as is desirable to the inspection of the various toheroa-beds, but it would appear that, with the reasonable restrictions on digging imposed by the

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