902 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



No. 38. 



The Under Colonial Secretary to B. J. Creighton, esq., San Francisco. 



Wellington, 20th June, 1878. 

 Sir : I have the honor, by direction of the colonial secretary, to ac- 

 knowledge the receipt of your letter of the 15th April, in which you 

 inclose one from Mr. F. N. Clark, of Northville, and ask that a sum of 

 $500 may be remitted to that gentleman. 



As you name no one in your letter, and as it is not clear on what ac- 

 count and for what service the $500 is claimed, the government have, in 

 order to avoid any possible mistake, remitted the money to Professor 

 Baird in a letter, a copy of which is inclosed for your information. 

 I have, &c., 



G. S. COOPER. 



No. 39. 

 Mr. J. G. Firth to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary. 



Auckland, 7th June, 1878. 



Sir : Eeferring to your letter of 11th October, 1877, asking me to un- 

 dertake the transshipment of half a million salmon ova, expected by 

 the next San Francisco mail steamer from Professor Baird, of the United 

 States Fish Commission, and authorizing me to incur the necessary ex- 

 penditure to insure the success of the importation, and having now 

 received final accounts, I have the honor to inform you that the total 

 expenditure incurred in this behalf has amounted to the sum of £195 

 17s., minus £22 5s., cost of sending ova to Sir Samuel Wilson = £173 12s. 



These charges are heavy, but I am happy to learn from various sources 

 that perfect success has been obtained, which would not have been se- 

 cured under a less liberal expenditure. 



Having taken the keenest possible interest in the great work of estab- 

 lishing American salmon in this colony from the first, my personal serv- 

 ices have been most cheerfully rendered, and I beg you will permit me 

 to present the above sum of £173 12s. as my contribution to the good 

 work of introducing so valuable a food-fish in New Zealand. 



I have further the honor to inform you that I have frequent reports of 

 the success of the experiment, young salmon in various stages being re- 

 ported to me as seen in nearly all the rivers in this provincial district, in 

 which I placed the ova or fry. 

 I have, &c., 



J. C. FIRTH. 



The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington. 



