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No. 32. Mr. W. Arthur to the Under Secretary. (Telegram.) Dunedin, 11th February, 1879. Your telegram and letters, regarding whitefish ova from America, both received. The Otago Acclimatisation Society will do its best to insure success to the introduction of the fish. Have handed correspondence to Mr. Begg, our Secretary. G. S. Cooper, Esq., AVellington. W. Arthur.

No. 33. Dr. Hector to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary. (Telegram.) Auckland, 13th February, 1879. No ova sent from America. Weston on board. Took charge of prairie hens, for Christchurch, from Creighton, but Creighton never mentioned ova to him. Very disappointing, as all arrangements were most perfect. The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington. James Hectoe.

No. 34. Mr. J. C. Firth to the Assistant Under Secretary. (Telegram.) Auckland, 13th February, 1879. Every preparation for whitefish ova completed at considerable expense. Mail steamer just arrived, no ova on board. In future, to avoid disappointment, it may be advisable to arrange for telegraphic message of actual shipment at San Francisco. The Assistant Under Secretary, Wellington. J. C. Firth.

No. 35. The Hon. Sir George Grey to Mr. J. C. Firth. (Telegram.) Wellington, 14th February, 1879. lam much disappointed about whitefish ova. Was glad to hear of your complete preparations, and feel sorry that, when such preparations had been made, so good an opportunity was lost. J. C. Firth, Esq., Auckland. G. Grey.

No. 36. The Hon. the Colonial Seceetaey to Mr. R. J. Creighton. Sir, — Colonial Secretary's Office, Wellington, 19th February, 1879. AVith reference to your letter of the 23rd December last, addressed to the Hon. J. Macandrew, and referred by him to this department, advising him of the action taken by you respecting the purchase and shipment of a supply of whitefish ova for this Government, and asking Government to take measures for receiving them by the steamer sailing in January (by which occasion you would more fully advise), I have to inform you that no ova were received by the San Francisco mail steamer which arrived in Auckland on the 13th instant, neither was there any communication received from you stating the reason of their not being forwarded. I should inform you that, expecting the ova to arrive by the boat stated, the Government took every precaution in their power to insure the shipment proving a success, and to this end incurred a considerable expense. Moreover, serious expense and inconvenience were entailed upon the various Acclimatisation Societies interested, all of which have now proved useless owing to the non-arrival of the ova. To avoid a similar accident happening again, I would suggest that it would be advisable for you to inform this Government by telegraph when a ship has actually started bearing ova for New Zealand. This can be done by inserting in your monthly telegram to the Postal Department, notifying the departure of the mails for Zealand, the following words : " Million whitefish ova" or •'Million salmon ova," as the case may be —of course stating the actual number of ova shipped. On receipt of such notice the Government will be able to make the necessary arrangements for the distribution of the ova on the arrival of the mail steamer. I have, &c, R. J. Creighton, Esq., San Francisco. G. S. AVhitmoee. P.S.—Since the above letter was written Mr. Macandrew has shown me your private note of the 21st January, announcing your inability to send the whitefish ova by the mail steamer then leaving.

No. 37. Extract from Letter of Mr. R. J. Creighton to the Hon. Mr. Macandeew. Dear Sir, — San Francisco, 21st January, 1879. It was impossible to get whitefish through this month, and I find that only half a million is to the fore, but this will be sufficient to take the risk upon if they come through in time next month. I have, &c, Hon. Mr. Macandrew. Robt. J. Creiohton.

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