7

H.-2

Esperanto. In view of the extensive use that is now being made of the " international language " known as Esperanto, it has been considered desirable to ask the agents of the Department, both in and beyond New Zealand, to take steps to make themselves acquainted with this language, and textbooks have been provided for that purpose. A number of the officers of the Head Office staff have also taken up the study of the language. Sport. The value of trout and deer acclimatisation in this country is difficult to estimate. Apart from encouraging a healthy means of amusement and recreation for our own people, the sport now offering is the means of inducing a very large number of oversea visitors to spend weeks, and often months, annually in this country, and it plays no unimportant part in the inducements held out to the moneyed class to make their homes in New Zealand. During the past year trout-fishing has been even better than in former seasons. From some lakes and streams enormous catches have been made of fish of great size, notably in Lake Tarawera and the rivers running into Lake Taupo, near Tokaanu. From the latter place fish weighing from 10 lb. to 23 lb. were frequently taken. Among the trophies secured by deer-stalkers there were some very excellent heads. Sport on the whole has been good. After six years of operation it is, I think, not out of place to record the work done by the Department in the introduction and distribution of big game. 1 therefore append a list showing date of importation or distribution, kind of game, and where liberated:—-

It is too early to predict what success will attend the acclimatisation of these imported animals, but from reports to hand very excellent results are expected. In October last the Department obtained, free of charge, from the Auckland Acclimatisation Society 25,000 trout-fry. These were conveyed, at the Department's expense, to the Bay of Plenty, and liberated in the following rivers and streams: Whakatane River, 4,000; Otaia River, 2,250; Waiana, Torere, and Hawai, 8,000; Motu, 1,900; Haparapara, 2,000; Te Kereu, 3,500. About three thousand of the fry were lost, but this, of course, could not be avoided in transhipping them over such rough country as that of the Bay of Plenty. Te Aroha. The receipts at Te Aroha show a slight decrease as compared with last year, the cause of which is chiefly due to several long spells of very wet weather during the summer. Some very important improvements have been made at this resort, the chief of which has been the lighting of all buildings and the grounds by electricity. A gardener's cottage has been built to permit of the head gardener residing in the grounds. This has become necessary in order that he may have better supervision of the gardens and park. A set of meteorological instruments has been supplied, in order that records may be kept of climatic conditions. The bowling-green, laid down by the Domain Board before the park came under control of this Department, has never been a complete success. It is advisable that the green be taken up and relaid.

Year. Number and Description of Game. From. Where Liberated. 1901 1903 4 red deer 3 „ 7 Wairarapa herds Presented by Miss Audrey Chirnside, Werribee Park, Victoria Ditto ... Presented by the Duke of Bedford, England Ditto ... Lake Waikaremoana. Stewart Island. Tuhua, West Coast. 1904 8 „ 6 thar Lake Wakatipu. Mount Cook. 1905 6 Japanese deer Kaimanawa Ranges, near Taupo. Tarawera, Hawke's Bay. Fiordland National Park. ft ti 5 blacktail deer 10 elk Purchased in the United States Presented by President Roosevelt, United States Purchased in the United States 8 19 Virginian deer 18 in Stewart Island, 1 in Nelson. Lake Kanieri, West Coast. 1906 8 red deer Presented by Miss .Audrey Chirnside, Werribee Park, Victoria Ditto ... Wairarapa herds Presented by G. W. Chirnside, Werribee Park, Victoria Presented by H.I.M. the Emperor of Austria 1907 4 „ 5 „ 9 „ Tuhua, West Coast. Tongariro National Park. Lake Rotoiti, Rotorua. 8 chamois Mount Cook.