EXPORTATION OF FISHES AND HATCHINa APPARATUS. 971 



sioner of Fisheries telegraphed instructions to Mr. Livingston Stone, 

 who is in charge of the breeding-ponds in this State, on no account to 

 send salmon ova to New Zealand, inasmuch as the receipt of the first 

 parcel had not been acknowledged, while the newspapers credited the 

 supply to Columbia Eiver, where there are no breeding-ponds, the fish- 

 eries being in private hands. Messrs. Cross have written to the United 

 States Commissioner, and their explanation may be sufficient. Mean- 

 while I retain letter of instructions to Dr. Hector for another mail, and, 

 should circumstances in my judgment warrant it, I will open it and 

 ascertain the mind of the government, as I propose, if necessary, making 

 an eflbrt to procure the ova on the terms arranged by Dr. Hector. As 

 I have already explained, it may not be necessary, owing to Messrs. Cross 

 & Co.'s action in the matter. I shall not incur any expenditure on 

 account of the government unless authorized to do so. Would you be 

 good enough to communicate the contents of this letter to the honorable 

 the premier, and oblige ? 

 Yours, &c., 



E. J. CREIGPXON. 

 E. Fox, Esq., 



Private Secretary, etc., Wellington. 



Memorandum by Dr. Hector re Salmon Ova. 



As there appears from Mr. Creighton's letter of the 12th September, 

 addressed to the private secretary (Mr. Fox), to be some confusion be- 

 tween the orders sent by the government and by the acclimatization 

 societies for the shipment of salmon ova from America, I beg to state 

 the circumstances, so far as I am acquainted with them. 



In conversation with Mr. Spencer F. Baird, chairman of the United 

 States Fishery Commission, when at Philadelphia in the beginning of 

 June, I was made aware of the extensive establishment which the United 

 States Government maintains for the breeding and dissemination of 

 valuable species of fish ; and, also, that some kinds of salmon found on 

 the Pacific slope of the continent had proved by experience to be most 

 suitable for the purpose of acclimatization in other waters, from their 

 hardy habits, great fertility, and high commercial value. I inquired 

 whether it would be within the functions of the American commission 

 to co-operate with the New Zealand Government for the purpose of 

 introducing salmon into that country. Professor Baird said he had 

 authority to do so, and that the commissioners would take great interest 

 in insuring the success of the experiment, which had already been tried 

 on a small scale through the Auckland society. He recommended that 

 a large shipment should be made as the best way of insuring success, 

 and, after some days' consideration, he informed me that the commis- 

 sioners would make no charge for the ova, and only required to be repaid 

 the expense of packing and delivery of the boxes of ova in San Fran- 

 cisco. He proposed that half a million of salmon ova should be sent 



