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1889. NEW ZEALAND.

INSPECTION OF STOCK, (ANNUAL REPORTS OF THE INSPECTORS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1889.)

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

Auckland Distbict. Sib, — Sheep Inspector's Office, Auckland, 18th May, 1889. I have the honour to furnish herewith my annual report for the Auckland District for the year ended the 31st March, 1889. All cattle within the district are healthy, no disease having come under my observation or been reported from subdivisions in the district. No disease is known to exist in sheep, with the exception of one small lot of 230, the property of W. F. Porter, of Miranda. On the 28th March these were reported to have again broken out. They are a portion of the same flock that were infected last year, and run upon swampy, scrubby country, known as the Sandspit Paddock. This outbreak is without doubt attributable to scabby stragglers having been left out on country when the flock was previously dealt with. The flocks infected at the Thames last year are now thoroughly safe. They have been inspected several times both before and since clean certificates were granted, and have proved clean. A systematic and thorough inspection of all flocks within the district has been carried out, together with a close supervision of all sale-yards. Did any disease exist except where known of, it must have been seen by now. The number of sheep in the district for year is 314,480, as against 299,479 for previous period, or an increase of- 45,000 for the twelve months. Both clip and lambing were reported to be above the average. No sheep were boiled down. There were 6,438 sheep and 3,259 lambs, or a total of 9,697, frozen for export dining the year. No sheep were imported from foreign places. About 2,000 were exported to Fiji and Samoa. General Remarks. —My appointment to the district being of comparatively recent date, I am not sufficiently acquainted with local surroundings to be in a position to state what improvement, if any, has taken place in the breeding of sheep or production of wool. With the exception of a very few merinos, all sheep here are either cross-breds or long-wool; and the numbers held by each owner are small in comparison with holdings in other districts, and these scattered over a very large area in proportion to the number of stock. Breeding (with the exception of a few owners) is, as a rule, paid very little attention to, with the consequence that inferior stock and lighter fleeces are more common than should be the case were more attention paid to this matter. A slight increase in the area utilised for depasturing purposes has taken place during the year ; and I have observed that Natives are taking sheep far back into the King-couzitry. I have, &c, Ben.t. P. Bayly, Inspector. The Hon. the Minister of Lands (Stock Branch), Wellington.

Napieb Distkict. Sib, — Sheep Inspector's Office, Napier, 3rd May, 1889. I have the honour to make my report on this district for the year ended the 31st March, 1889. The general health of the stock in the district has been good. Cattle. —I have no special remarks to make under this head. Sheep. —The health of the sheep during the year has been exceedingly good. The last winter was exceptionally fine and mild. There was a very good lambing—considerably over 70 per cent.—and the finest clip of wool that there has been for years. Owing to the dry winter there was very little lungworm, except on country that^was overstocked. At present the country is in a deplorable state from want of rain, and I am afraid there will be heavy losses during the winter among hoggets and old sheep. This has been the fourth dry season in succession, and even during the winters the ground has not had a thorough soaking. There were 208,335 sheep frozen; and 33,893 sheep boiled down or