H.—22

8

Tagging of Trout. —A total of 221 trout were tagged at Lake Taupo, and some very interesting data has been secured. The following table gives particulars of rainbow fish tagged and retaken.

War Funds. Of the numerous patriotic societies established as a result of the Great War, sixty-two are still on the register of war funds. This is a decrease of one since last report, due to the transfer of one society's funds to another. The value of the assets held, as taken from the latest returns received, are as follows :— £ s. d. Thirty incorporated societies .. .. .. .. .. 722,322 16 3 Seven Red Cross organizations .. .. .. .. 141,722 12 7 Three Blind Soldiers'and Veterans' Homes Funds .. .. 59,318 12 5 Thirteen unincorporated societies .. .. .. .. 3,655 13 5 One Navy League Fund .. .. .. .. .. 5,510 8 0 Five Returned Soldiers' Clubs .. .. .. .. 22,767 1 2 Three Social Funds .. .. .. .. .. .. 2,184 0 8 National War Funds Council .. .. .. .. .. 167,848 10 3 £1,125,329 14 9 The balances held represent loans to soldiers, land and buildings, and liquid assets, the latter being estimated to comprise 60 per cent, of the total. Census and Statistics Office. The steady progress of the Census and Statistics Office has been well maintained during* the last twelve months. Few new lines of inquiry have been entered on, however, the energies of the Statistician having rather been directed towards improving and perfecting existing branches of work. Employment and Unemployment. —Probably the greatest expansion of activities has been occasioned by the unsatisfactory employment situation and the resultant demand for fuller statistical information on the question of employment and unemployment. The Office has initiated new series of tabulations covering such aspects as the seasonal nature of employment in various industries and the type of labour particularly affected by trade depression; and the recently published results of the 1926 Census inquiry as to unemployment from sickness, accident, or injury, or from lack of employment shed light on still another aspect of the matter. In addition, the Office has co-operated with the Committee set up by the Government to investigate and report on the subject of unemployment, Mr. Malcolm Fraser, the Government Statistician, being a member of this Committee. Wage Statistics. —The system of tabulation of index numbers of wage-rates has been revised with a view to compiling separate index numbers for male and female wage-earners, instead of for both sexes in conjunction as formerly. Advantage was taken of the opportunity afforded by the revision to adopt a more scientific system of weighting than had been employed hitherto. The new index numbers were incorporated in the 1930 issue of the " New Zealand Official Year-book." Household Budgets. —The International Labour Office of the League of Nations some time ago communicated with all countries adhering to the League, urging them to prepare for the revision of their statistics of retail prices, with a view to adopting a new and uniform base year —viz., 1930. The suggestion for a revision on these lines met with the full support and co-operation of the New Zealand Government, and some months ago the Statistician was authorized to proceed with the preparation of a household-budget book for distribution as widely as possible early in 1930, the inquiry to cover the three months March, April, and May. A large number of books was printed, and with the willing co-operation of such bodies as trades-unions, School Committees, &c., a successful distribution into

T ! j. . I Length Length jweight Weight iS? j Sex. Date tagged. vJf.fi™ Locality tagged. I Locality retaken. | when when I when when llemarks. JN0, retaKen. j j tagged, retaken.] tagged, retaken. Inches. Inches, lb. oz. lb. oz. 10 | F. 15/6/28 4/3/29 Whitikau Stream Blue Pool, Tongariro 26 .. 6 0 9 4 River 25 M. 20/6/28 18/6/29 „ .. Hatchery stream .. 26 26 6 0 I 5 8 Fair condition; gaffmarks on left side. 32 ; F. 25/6/28 27/4/29 „ .. Hut Pool, Tongariro 26 .. 7 4 10 0 River 402 M. 2/8/28 4/6/29 Hatchery stream Hatchery stream .. 21J 24 3 12 ! 5 8 Good condition. 406 M. 2/8/28 15/6/29 „ „ 20 24 4 0 i 6 0 432 M. 18/8/28 16/5/29 „ Bottom Boat - pool, 23 26 5 8 1 6 0 Tongariro River 470 F. 18/9/28 18/7/29 Kowhai Flat .. Hatchery stream .. 22 23£ 4 12 5 8 Fair condition. 495 F. 21/9/28 I 18/6/29 Hatchery stream ,, ..19 21£ 2 12 4 0 Unripe, fair condition. 663 F. 10/9/29 j 16/2/30 Waiotaka Stream Delta .. 22£ 22 4 0 4 4 779 M. 15/8/29 14/3/30 Hatepe River .. Waikato intake .. 25| . . 6 12 8 4 1025 M. 3/10/28 29/7/29 Hatchery stream Hatchery stream .. 18 19 3 0 4 12 Fair condition. 1037 F. 16/10/28 19/9/29 „ „ 25J 26 7 4 j 7 12 1040 M. 10/10/28 19/9/29 ,, „ .. 22 23J 4 12 5 8 1044 F. 16/10/28 1/11/29 ,, Two chains above 24 24J 7 8^68 Hatchery stream 1305 F. 1/11/28 21/8/29 ,, Hatchery stream . . 24 25 5 4 j 6 0 Half-spent. I 1