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Sess. 11.—1891. NEW ZEALAND.

PROPOSED LIMIT OF SIZE OF FLOUNDERS TO BE TAKEN (CORRESPONDENCE RELATIVE TO).

Return to an Order of the House of Representatives dated the 2nd day of September, 1891. Ordered, "That copies of all correspondence in the possession of the Marine Department on the subject of a proposed alteration in the limit of the size below which flounders may not bo taken in the colony be laid before this House."—(Hon. Sic John Hall.)

Memoeandum to the Collectob, H.M. Customs, Christchurch. Heeewitii I forward copy of a petition praying for alteration of the regulations to allow netting with a mesh of 2in. for certain fish in Lake Ellesmere, and I shall feel obliged if you will be good enough to make inquiry into the allegations contained therein and let me know whether you think that it would be desirable to accede to the request made or not. 25th October, 1887. Lewis H. B. Wilson, Assistant Secretary.

To His Excellency Sir William Feancis Deummond Jbevois, Governor of New Zealand. Sic, — Southbridge, 25th January, 1887. The humble petition of us, the undersigned, respectfully showeth, — That Eegulation No. 13 (to which we respectfully refer your Excellency) of the regulations made by your Excellency under " The Fisheries Conservation Act, 1884," on the 7th day of March, 1885, is practically prohibitive of fishing with nets in Lake Ellesmere. A large number of the fishermen at Lake Ellesmere are, with their wives and children, entirely dependent on their labour for a living; they cannot make a living under the existing regulations. Nor have many of the fishermen the means to go elsewhere and set up anew for the purpose of making such living. Furthermore, work other than fishing is scarce, and your petitioners fear that many of the fishermen, or their families, will be thrown on the country for assistance unless the existing regulation is modified. Fish of every description at present abound in Lake Ellesmere, particularly herrings, rockcod, garfish, trevally, mullet, soles, and eels; but under the present regulations the fishermen cannot catch such fish for the purpose of a livelihood, inasmuch as none of the fish particularly named can be caught with a net the mesh of which is not less than 4-Jin. Under these circumstances, your petitioners respectfully pray your Excellency to alter or modify the present regulation so that the fishermen may use a net having a mesh of, say, 2in. for the purpose of catching (amongst others) the fish particularly above named. We believe that some regulation can be devised at once protecting the flounder, and at the same time enabling the fishermen to catch fish smaller than the flounder. Such object could, we believe, be obtained if the fishermen were at liberty to use a net of such mesh as they might think fit, but were punishable if they took flounders or other fish below the regulation size. Yourpetitioners do humbly pray your Excellency's early attention. G. Sohnelb and others.

4 The Collector, H.M. Customs, Christchurch, to the Seceetaey, Marine Department. Sic, — H.M. Customs, Christchurch, 14th November, 1887. In reply to your memorandum M. 87/803, No. 800/53, of the 25th October, 1887, re reduction to 2in. of size of mesh of nets to be permitted to be used in Lake Ellesmere, I have tho honour to report adversely to such application, as, if such were allowed, the acclimatised fish I—H. 10.