H.—2

2

The figures compiled by the Registrar-General show a substantial increase of gross arrivals in and departures from this country during the year. For the year ending the 31st December, 1905, the total moving population was 56,068, with an excess of arrivals over departures of 9,302; for the year ending the 31st December, 1906, the total was 65,618, an increase of 9,550, with an excess of arrivals over departures of 12,848. The excess of arrivals over departures for the five years the Department has been in operation totals 51,772, as against a total of 15,688 for the previous five years. In quoting these figures it is not intended to suggest that the Department of Tourist and Health Resorts is wholly responsible for the increase in immigration, but it is claimed that the advertising of the country by the Department by means of magazine and newspaper articles, lectures, and distribution of literature has greatly contributed to the excellent advance made in securing population of a desirable kind from overseas. As a matter of fact, a large portion of the work of the Department is in the direction of promoting immigration. This position has, rightly or wrongly, been forced on it by virtue of the fact that the great majority of the thousands of letters received from oversea in response to Department's advertisements are from persons in search of new homes—people who desire to emigrate to a land where a freer life, greater possibilities, and more healthful conditions obtain. Offices were opened in Sydney and Melbourne in June last, and officers bearing the title of New Zealand Government Agents appointed to take control. These officers are not merely agents for the Department of Tourist and Health Resorts, but are, as their designations imply, agents for the New Zealand Government, and therefore they undertake the work of all Departments, although under control of the Department of Tourist and Health Resorts. The British Consul at Chicago, U.S.A., has generously offered to act as agent for the Department in that city, and an agency has accordingly been established which, although run at a very small cost, will, I am sure, show good results. A literature-distributing agent has been appointed at Fremantle, Western Australia, whose duty it is to supply literature concerning New Zealand to all persons arriving at that port from oversea. By this means New Zealand's attractions are brought under notice of a very large number of people entering the Commonwealth. The marked increase in the traffic from the Commonwealth since the opening of the agencies in Sydney and Melbourne goes to show that the step taken in extending the influence of the Department has been a wise one, and I am of opinion that good results would follow the establishment of an agency in Colombo and in other centres on popular travel-routes. I also think it would be advisable to add to the High Commissioner's staff in London an officer who would be in a position to take more active steps in bringing this country's attractions under notice of the vast population of Great Britain. New Zealand's action in establishing a department of general information and extending its influence to other States may be said to have met with a full measure of favour in the opinion of Australians. Realising the great success of the work done by New Zealand, already four of the Commonwealth States either have established or contemplate establishing information bureaux on lines more or less similar to those of this country. The Department has since its establishment been in very close touch with sport and the acclimatisation of game and fish; but a somewhat new departure has been made" during the year in placing the control of the fishing, shooting, and general acclimatisation-work in the tourist district around Rotorua under immediate control of the Department. This step was taken in direct response to the petitions of the residents of the Rotorua district, who were dissatisfied with the control of the administration of the fishing and the assistance given them by the Auckland Society. The troutfishing in the Rotorua district has become a matter of colonial importance, and it is considered advisable that it be controlled directly by the Government. Since the taking-over of the Rotorua district by the Department of Tourist and Health Resorts the Government has received a petition from the Wairoa Acclimatisation Society asking that its registration be revoked and their district attached to the Rotorua district and placed under control of the same Department.