H.—7a,

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No. 7. Sir J. E. G. Maitland to the Hon. the Commissionee of Teade and Customs. Sib,— Stirling, N. 8., 28th May, 1886. I have the honour to acknowledge your letter of the Bth April, and to express my gratification that the shipment of sshnon-ova has arrived in such good order. May Ibe permitted to state how largely this is due to the construction of the ice-chamber, to which Sir Francis Dillon Bell gave great personal attention. Will you have the kindness to convey to the Government my thanks for the high honour they have done me, and the great gratification I shall always feel in assisting in any way in my power the development of the fisheries of New Zealand ? I have, &c, Sir Julius Yogel, K.C.M.G., J. E. G. Maitland. Government Buildings, Wellington.

No. 8. The Ministee having charge of the Maeinb Depaetment to the Agent-Geneeal. (Telegram.) Wellington, 13th July, 1886. SALMON-ova, herring-ova : Eepeat shipments.

No. 9. The Minister having charge of the Maeine Department to the Agent-Geneeal. "Sib, — Marine Department, Wellington, 16th July, 1886. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter, No. 602, of. the 19th May last, addressed to the Hon. the Colonial Treasurer, and I have; read with much interest Professor Cossar Ewart's report on the herring-ova experiment. You will have learnt, by telegram sent to you on the 13th instant, that you are authorized to send out shipments, both of herring- and salmon-ova next season. The boxes which contained the salmon-ova forwarded by the steamer " lonic " will be returned to you by direct steamer at an early date. 1 shall feel obliged if you will be kind enough to address letters relating to fish-ova to me in future, as the matter has been transferred to the Marine Department, and I shall be glad to receive a copy of full instructions as to the manner of dealing with the herring-ova on its arrival in the •colony in time to enable the necessary preparations to be made to receive it. I have, &c, W. J. M. Laenach, The Agent-General for New Zealand, Minister of Marine. 7, Westminster Chambers, London, S.W.

No. 10. The Honoeaey Secretary, Otago Acclimatization Society, to the Hon. the Peemibe. Sib, — Otago Acclimatization Society, Dunedin, 21st June, 1886. A copy of the Order Paper of the 11th June has been forwarded to me, in which (No. 9) Mr. Beetham is to ask whether the Government will, during next season, endeavour to obtain a supply of American Salvionidce. I need not point out that all the species mentioned would be, apart from all other considerations, valuable additions to our food-supply, and all are fish likely to be eminently suited to our waters. lam certain that all the acclimatization societies will join with us in urging upon the Government the advisability of getting these fish introduced. Our society is now in a position to offer you every facility for hatching the ova and rearing the young fish, as wo have now accommodation for over half a million of eggs, and could, on short notice, increase our accommodation five-fold. I therefore take the liberty of soliciting your influence to have the endeavour made. I have, &c, James Wilkie, The Hon. Sir E. Stout, Wellington. Honorary Secretary.

No. 11. The Seceetaby, Marine Department, to the Honoeary Seceetaey, Otago Acclimatization Society. ■g IE) Marine Department, Wellington, 19th July, 1886. With reference to your letter of the 21st ultimo, addressed to the Hon. Sir B. Stout, I have the honour, by direction of the Minister having charge of this department, to inform you that the Government has asked the United States Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries if he can be so good as to forward to the colony during the ensuing season a supply of the ova of the whitefish (Coregomts clupeiformis), land-locked salmon (Salmo sebago), brook-trout (Salveliiius fontinalis), and Californian trout (Salmo irideus). I have, &c, The Hon. Secretary, Otago Acclimatization Society, Dunedin. William Seed.