H.—lsa

8

Sixty-eighth Haul. —A short distance from the last station it was shot again in 8 fathoms, on a clean sand bottom. Towed E. by S. JS. four miles and a quarter, and picked up in 7 fathoms, when it contained 103 large schnapper, 98 gurnard, 3 trevalli, 2 John dory, 4 dog-fish, and 1 cat-fish. Sixty-ninth Haul-. —Put down the net again some distance from last picking-up in 13 fathoms, on dark sand. Towed S.E. f S. five miles, and from 14 fathoms landed 215 schnapper, 390 gurnard, 11 soles, 7 stingaree, and 15 dog-fish. Seventieth Haul. —Before going over the Manukau bar the net was shot in 18 fathoms at 3.30 p.m., and towed down S.E. f S. to the entrance of the main channel, and was hauled up in 14 fathoms, with 97 schnapper, 109 gurnard, 9 trevalli, 15 dog-fish, and 3 stingaree. Seventy-first Haul. —The sea outside being too rough for work, a shot was made in 15 fathoms, on dark sand, inside the heads, on the Bth April, within two hours of high water. Towed up channel, and hauled up off Puponga Point in 16 fathoms. Result :36 schnapper, 23 gurnard, 4 soles, 6 dog-fish, and 1 stingaree. Seventy-second Haul. —Shot again off Puponga Point in 16 fathoms, on dark sand, and towed an hour, when the net became fast, and was hauled up badly torn. It contained no fish, but a large quantity of barnacles and shells. Seventy-third Raul. —After testing theWaiuku Channel, which was found to be quite unsuitable for trawling, we continued work in the Manukau Inlet on the 9th April. The trawl was put down just inside the heads at low water (7.25 a.m.), on a sand bottom, in 5J fathoms. Towed up the channel for an hour and a quarter, and picked up from 6 fathoms north of Puponga Point, with poor results—2l schnapper, 12 gurnard, and a dog-fish. Seventy-fourth Haul. —Shot the net again north of Puponga Point in 5 fathoms at 9 a.m. Towed an hour up the Wairopa Channel with the flood tide, but the net got foul and was hauled in, containing 31 schnapper, 19 gurnard, 4 lemon-soles, 8 stingaree, and 10 dog-fish. Seventy-fifth Haul. —Cast in the Wairopa Channel again in 6 fathoms. Towed an hour,, and picked up in 4 fathoms, finding 29 schnapper, 19 gurnard, 17 trevalli, 9 tarakihi, 4 flounders, and 3 stingaree. Seventy-sixth Haul. —Work outside being impossible owing to the bad weather, the 10th April was spent in cleaning up and taking in coal and water. The following day was also boisterous outside, and was spent in testing Papakura Channel, where the net was put down in 12 fathoms, on dark sand and shell. Towed with the tide an hour and a half, and picked up in 3 fathoms, when only 29 gurnard, 16 schnapper, 11 dog-fish, and 7 stingaree were found. Seventy-seventh Haul. — Shot the net again in 2 fathoms, and continued towing with the tide, but getting into shoal water abreast of Hiki Hiki bank the net was hauled in after an hour and a quarter's towing, and bringing with it only 39 schnapper, 25 gurnard, 13 flounders, 7 trevalli, and 9 dog-fish. Seventy-eighth Haul. —Getting outside Manukau Heads at 6 a.m on the 12th April in a heavy westerly swell that made work very difficult, we shot the net at 9.30 a.m. on dark sand. Towed S. by E. fE. for four miles, keeping under 9 fathoms along the coast. Hauled up at 11 a.m., and got 59 schnapper, 28 gurnard, 13 lemon-soles, 2 trevalli, and 7 dog-fish. Seventy-ninth Haul. —Shot the net again outside Manukau bar in 10 fathoms, dark-sand bottom. Towed W. JN. five miles and a quarter, picking up in 15 fathoms, with the net torn and the foot-rope broken. Result: 51 schnapper, 25 gurnard, 12 lemon-soles, 1 trevalli, and 2 dog-fish. Eightieth Haul. —After repairing the net it w r as put down again at 1.30 p.m. in 15 fathoms, on sand, and towed with the swell N.E. JN. towards the bar, three miles and a quarter. When hauled up at 3 o'clock it held 19 schnapper, 13 gurnard, and 3 lemon-soles. The wind and swell increasing, further experiments had to be given up for the day. Eighty-first Haul. —Lifted anchor near Puponga Point at 5.30 on the 16th April, and found heavy swell still on, though the storm had abated ; and when well down towards Waikato dropped the net on sand in 12 fathoms. Towed S. by E. fE. four miles; picked up in 11 fathoms, and found 69 schnapper, 54 gurnard, 3 John dory, and 3 dog-fish. Eighty-second Haul. —Put down the net again southwards in 15 fathoms, on sand. Towed S. by E. J.E. four miles into 17 fathoms, and bagged 49 schnapper, 51 gurnard, 4 lemon-soles, and 5 dog-fish. Eighty-third Haul. —Shot the net again in 24 fathoms, on sand, and towed four miles S.E. by E. ; picked up in 22 fathoms, and found 50 schnapper, 63 gurnard, 3 dog-fish, and 1 .sole. Eighty-fourth Haul. —Put inshore to 16 fathoms, and dropped the net again. Towed four miles S.E. into 17 fathoms, and hauled up 73 schnapper, 89 gurnard, 4 John dory, and 4 dog-fish. Eighty-fifth Haul. —Shot the net once more off the mouth of the Whaingaroa Harbour at 5.30 p.m., and towed two miles and three-quarters. Result : 15 schnapper, 160 gurnard, 3 John dory, 1 trevalli, and 2 soles. Eighty-sixth Haul. —Weighed anchor at 5.45 a.m. off Whaingaroa on the 17th April; steamed south past Waipapa Point, and shot in 18 fathoms, on sand, at 7.30 a.m. Towed S. -J-E. three miles and three-quarters, where the net had to be hauled in owing to the heavy sea running. Result : 42 schnapper, 77 gurnard, 2 John dory, and 2 trevalli. Stormy weather compelled us to take shelter in Kawhia Harbour until 7.30 on the morning of the 20th, during which time the purse Seine net was tried in the harbour with unsatisfactory results, owing to weeds and marine growth where the net was tried. Eighty-seventh Haul. —Crossed Kawhia bar outwards at 8 a.m. on the 20fch, and put down the net in fathoms, two miles out, on good sand. Towed N.N.W. four miles, past the opening of the Aotea Harbour, and hauled up from 17 fathoms. Result: 14 schnapper, 171 gurnard, 3 John dory, 1 sole, and 3 dog-fish,