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Technical Committee, Hydrological Data, an advisory Committee whose main function is the collection, correlation, and publication of hydrologic data. The personnel of this Committee is given elsewhere in this report. Advisory and Co-ordinating Committee on Aerial Distribution of Fertilizer and Seeds, constituted by the Council for the purpose of investigating and making recommendations on aerial distribution. The Committee comprises the Chief of Air Staff, the Deputy Chief of Air Staff, the Director of Civil Aviation, the Engineer to the Council, the Senior Soil Conservator to the Council, and representatives of Federated Farmers of New Zealand, farmers' fertilizer companies, the New Zealand Fertilizer Manufacturers' Research Association, the Departments of Agriculture, Lands and Survey, Ministry of Works, Soil Bureau of Scientific and Industrial Research, and Grasslands Division of Scientific and Industrial Research. CATCHMENT DISTRICTS It is regretted that no new catchment districts have been constituted during the year, due to factors beyond the control of the Council. The Local Government Commission held a further public inquiry into the constitution of the Wellington Catchment District as a result of objections received to the provisional scheme, but to date no final scheme has been promulgated. Public inquiries were also arranged by the Local Government Commission into the proposed constitution of the Bay of Plenty and Waikato districts. The Commission approved a provisional scheme for the Bay of Plenty district, but objections were received and no date has yet been fixed for a further hearing. The hearing for the Waikato district was adjourned after the evidence had been heard, as the Commission wished to consider the Auckland and North Auckland districts in conjunction with the Waitako district before coming to a decision. Additional reports are now being prepared for the Auckland and North Auckland areas for submission to the Commission. The twelve catchment districts and one soil conservation district already constituted cover approximately 58 per cent, of the area of the country, 40 per cent, of the population, and 50 per cent, of the rateable capital value. When the Wellington, Bay of Plenty, and Waikato districts are formed, this will give approximately an 85-per-cent. coverage of the Dominion. Other areas which will justify special submissions later are Marlborough, Wanganui, and Taranaki districts. CATCHMENT BOARDS The Otago Catchment Board was elected during the year and held its. first meeting in November, 1948. Other Catchment Boards have made considerable progress during the year in improving their organization and efficiency, and as a result the quantity of work has been increased and standards improved. Boards are handicapped in some cases due to lack of soil conservation staff and have also been handicapped to some extent by a shortage of man-power, material, and plant. The plant and material position has improved slightly, but difficulties still exist in regard to the supply of certain types of plant from dollar sources. Difficulties are still being experienced in regard to finance for minor works, maintenance, and works of a general nature, but these difficulties have been temporarily met by special grants from the Council. The Catchment Boards Association has been very active during the year in ensuring uniformity of procedure and practice in the administering of the Act and in putting forward recommendations for improvements. The relations between the Association and the Council have been most cordial.

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