D.—No. 15

WITH REPORTS EROM COMMISSIONERS EOR CANTERBURY AND OTAGO.

No. 1. Dr. Hectoe to the Undee Colonial Seceetaey. (No. 27.) Sic, — Colonial Museum, "Wellington, Ist June, 1869. I have the honor to inform you that the Commissioners appointed to report on the Fisheries in the Colony are engaged in making investigations under the heads mentioned in the attached letter which has heen addressed to them, but considerable difficulty is experienced in procuring the required information, as no funds are placed at the disposal of the Commissioners to defray the necessary expenses. Only one report, that from the Commissioners for the Province of Canterbury, has been received,, and is enclosed herewith; and, as the term of the Commissions will expire this month, I beg to suggest that the period for reporting should be extended for twelve months longer. I have, &c, The Under Colonial Secretary. James Hectoe.

Enclosure 1 in No. 1. Dr. Hectoe to the Commissionees in the Provinces. Sic, — Colonial Museum, "Wellington, February, 1869. I have the honor to forward a copy of the New Zealand Gazette notifying your appointment on a Commission for the purpose of investigating the Fisheries on the New Zealand Coasts, together with printed papers on the subject. With the view of facilitating the preparation of a Report from the results obtained by the Commissioners for the various Provinces, 1 venture to suggest the following points as appearing worthy of your attention : — 1. For the general object for which the Commissions have heen issued, I would refer you toHansard, Vol. 111, No. 15, 1868, p. 311. 2. The information on which it is desirable to collect evidence may be divided as follows : — State of existing fisheries in District of (a.) Number of men employed. ' (b.) Their native place, &c. (c.) The means they employ, and value of gear. (<£) Degree of regularity of their fishing. (c.) Kinds of fish obtained, with a return of the usual market value and seasons of each variety. (f) Total value of fish sold in year. (g.) Fishing grounds, with chart showing —(1.) Situation and depth of water. (2.) Extent and probable reason for their existence. (h.) Fishes that visit the district occasionally, which are of value. 3. Beport on the sources of information available on the above points. 4. Report of examination of witnesses. 5. General conclusions and suggestions from the district. Guided by this general programme, the Commissioners for the various Provinces may at once appoint a Secretary and proceed with the performance of their duties as soon as convenient. Where possible, it would be advisable to preserve specimens of all the rare species of fish which the Commissioners obtain in the course of their investigations, and in every case to ascertain all the synonymes by which each species of fish is known, so as to permit of accurate comparison with the results obtained by the other Commissioners. Any suggestions which may occur to you, in addition to the above, if forwarded, as extracts from the Minutes of the Commission for your Province, to this office, will be immediately sent to the Commissioners in other Provinces for their information and guidance. I have, &c, James Hectoe, Chairman.

Enclosure 2 in No. 1. REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONERS FOR THE PROVINCE OF CANTERBURY. Sic,— Christchurch, 27th May, 1869. The Commissioners appointed to investigate the Fisheries on the Sea-coast of the Province of Canterbury have the honor to report as follows : — The nature of the sea-coasts of Canterbury, consisting of long unsheltered ocean-beaches stretching from the north and south of Banks' Peninsula to the extreme limits of the Province, confines the field of inquiry almost exclusively to the inlets and coasts of the Peninsula itself, the

FURTHER PAPERS RELATIVE TO THE FISHERIES OF THE COLONY,