H.—2

9

any one station amounted to five thousand, and there are five runs on which severally from two up to five thousand were destroyed during the same period; these numbers are quite sufficient to warrant the utmost vigilance being exercised. A colony of rabbits was also discovered towards the head-waters of the Rangatata upon unoccupied Crown lands; where these originally sprang from is not certain, but immediate steps have been taken to have this ground thoroughly poisoned; and all along this line of country a constant supervision should be carried out, so that the pest can be grappled with at once should it appear. Returns attached show the Government expenditure for year and other tabulated matter connected with working of the department. Benin. B. Bayly, ' Superintendent Inspector.

Statement of Expenditure, &c.

Genekal Bemakks.—Payments to agents, labour, material purchased, and other contingencies not included in this expenditure. It is impossible to give the number of skins from each district; but the total export for the whole colony from the Ist April, 1883, to the 31st March, 1884, is shown herein, as exported from the different ports.

APPENDIX. Sir,— Colonial Secretary's Office (Stock Branch), Wellington, 4th April, 1884.' _ I have to request that you will be good enough to furnish replies to the following questions with as little delay as possible. The period to which these questions refer is between the Ist April, 1883, and the 31st March, 1884. I have, &c, B. P. Bayly, Babbit Inspector, . Superintending Inspector. (1.) What means have been adopted for destroying rabbits ? (2.) Have you any recommendations to make? (3.) What progress has there been made ? (4.) How many tenders have been accepted? (5.) What did the whole of them amount to ? (6.) Number and description of reserves you will require to deal with, and the approximate area of such available for grazing purposes ? (7.) What quantity of phosphorus was used for Government purposes? (8.) What quantity was sold to private individuals ? (9.) What was the quantity on hand on the 31st March last ? (10.) Number of skins exported ? ~_ (11.) Number of prosecutions ? . (12.) Number of convictions ? (13.) Number of* 'dismissals ? (14.) Names of owners of properties dealt with under section 11 ? (15.) Number of ferret-breeders ? (16.) Have any ferrets been turned out, and, if so, with what results ?

District. E o**3 -4 9 « ft ,0 CD *3 cS O &0 3 -+3 a o 3 < U3 *5 o* 1 *"1 © o d O **3 W ■"S S 1 s go C 2 o to A a B c a o . II •as 0 2 ° a tj CO Of S 8 B 9-2 E? fc&J *"* o d ©O o °-S| TO W3 Or-; rt 3 Is Q r4 ■3 P £ ■ -go .*=;>■■ *>> "i o "S 3*fl g O ra G* © 'a. > £ ,1b. lb. lb. lb. £ Acres. Napier (Wellington) kelson 31enheim laikoura ... Kmaru jyttelton... 3amaru ... Palmerston Dunedin ... Slaseby ]lyde Cuapeka ... 3alclutha Jueenstown Southland 20 209 9 0 479 79 400 20 88 706^894 7,901 30,000 1 37 0 0 55 310 275 20 150 35 310 125 15 40 70 4,000 1,745^954 16491 1 5 4 1 711 2 10 15 11 45 0 62 10 357 0 12 0 947 6 349 10 89 0 464 3 715 0 598 6 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 4 0 9 378 640 490 412 660 400 780 25 72 232 90 234 378 640 465 340 428 310 556 522 560 820 460 288 40 400 1,050 6,514,884 67^55 8,977 34,000 123,101 55,000 924^609 9^230 159,780 Totals ... 91 3,886 5 6 4,879 902 3,987 4,373 9,892,341 100,677 414,858