14 



THE EXAMINATION AND REGISTRATION OF LOCAL 

 CONDITIONS AND FACTS. 



19. This duty was carried out bj Government in various ways, e.g.^ 

 by exhibitions, by commissions formed for the purpose, by confer- 

 ences, and by ambulant instructors, who not only taught Vjut observed 

 and reported. The first National Fisheries Exhibition was held in 

 1885 and served to show the primitive and unorganised character of the 

 industry rather than its advance; for instance, owing to poor inter- 

 communication whether materially (as in the matter of roads), 

 educationally, or commercially, practices in one part of a district were 

 quite unknown in another part of the same district, and excellent 

 nets, long lines, etc., used in one area were unknown close by ; this 

 has similarly been found on Madras coasts. This e.xhibition was 

 followed by others both by the Government and the Fisheries Society, 

 and served largely to increase the knowledge C)f the authorities, and 

 to distribute information; the prizes offered also stimulated the 

 invention and exhibition of iujprovements especially in boats. 



20. The second method was by direct commissions of enquiry ; the 

 first, created by Government in 1888 or earlier, travelled over the 

 country and reported in detail in 1891 ; this enquiry was again followed 

 up, and in 1893 a commission for a more extensive and scientific 

 enquiry into marine products was formed, the special objects of which 

 were (1) to extend the fishing industry, (2) the fabrication of marine 

 products, e.g., dried, salted, and canned fish, pearls, seaweed products, 

 salt, etc., (3) pisciculture. In 1898 this particular committee was 

 abolished but its duties were entrusted to the department which 

 continued the enquiries more completely and systematically including 

 researches in hydrography, plankton, and other matters of general 

 importance. For many years there has been a Marine Biological 

 school solely devoted to the study of marine life, but this belongs to 

 the University and is largely attended. 



21. A third method was by means of conferences ; this subject is 

 not quite clear; that of 1897 has been mentioned, s.v., " Fisheries 

 Society," but in 1890 a standing committee seems to have been formed, 

 consisting of men of competence and experience in the several fishing 

 industries, and this committee was consulted by Governmentin matters 

 of importance ; this appears to resemble the standing committees of 

 experts so much in evidence in Italy in agricultural, industrial, and 

 trade matters, 



22. A fourth and the most important method of enquiry is by 

 experimental stations; these, however, will be treated by themselves 

 being of supreme importance and large scope. 



