970 KEPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF ilSH AND FISHERIES. 



to procure it. I have written him and requested him to communicate 

 with you, as it is possible that he may fit up a special ice-house, in which 

 case there will be no difficulty in arranging that the Hawke's Bay ova 

 should come in the same ice ; but, in any case, we depend upon your 

 sending us ova ; 50,000 from the same source as last year, independent 

 of the supply ordered by the ^ew Zealand government," &c. &c. Upon 

 receipt of Mr. Ormond's letter, I made inquiries for Dr. Hector ; and his 

 friends inform me that he returned to ISew Zealand per last steamer, 

 having left Mr. Creightou to attend to his affairs here. Mr. Creightou 

 called upon me last night, but does not seem to know very clearly what 

 arrangements Dr. Hector has made, though he gave me to understand 

 that arrangements had been made with you for the whole supply. I do 

 hope this is correct, for, as I told Mr. Creightou, I know of no other way 

 that such a supply can be obtained, properly packed, &c. I trust, how- 

 ever, that my commission, though small, may not be neglected. And if 

 not asking too much, I would feel particularly obliged by your inform- 

 ing me the earliest date at which they could be ready, as, if I can get 

 them i» time for the Australian steamer of the 10th October, I ought 

 to write Mr. Ormond by next mail, in order that he could have supplies 

 of ice ready at Kandavan and Wellington, at which places they must be 

 transhipped before reaching Hawke's Bay. Of course, if I got them sent 

 with the large supply for the Xew Zealand government, it would sim- 

 plify matters very much, but until I am sure that they have made better 

 arrangements I must do the best I can myself. I have also now on hand 

 the amount paid last year through Mr. Kaeding, for the 50,000 got then, 

 $150. As it is not mine, and 1 am directed by the Acclimatization 

 Society to pay it for the ova, please state when you write whether I shall 

 send you a check or the coin, and how, as you can use it in packing 

 the fish, and paying for transporting them to W. F. & Co.'s office. Trust- 

 ing you will excuse the trouble I give you, and which I can assure you 

 either Mr. Ormond or myself would gladly repay if in our power. 

 I remain. 



ROBERT P. R. DUFF. 

 Livingston Stone, Esq. 



San Francisco, Cal., 



September 12, 1876. 



Sir : In reply to your communication of the 8th and 9th July, written 

 by direction of the premier, and covering a letter to Dr. Hector, I have 

 to state that Dr. Hector sailed by the previous steauier for New Zealand. 

 He told me that he had arranged for the shipment of 150,000 salmon 

 ova and a quantity of whitefish from the East, and that he would write, 

 giving instructions regarding their shipment, but I suppose he overlooked 

 doing so in the hurry of departure, as I received no letter from him. 



Since then, I learned from Messrs. Cross & Co., who are acting for 

 the Auckland Acclimatization Society, that the United States Commis- 



