OTHER SEAL HERDS. 223 



specified in the act ^ creating the colony., which New Zealand, 

 defines its boundaries as coincident with paral- 

 lels 33° and 53° south latitude, and 162° east 

 and 173° west longitude.^ The Fisheries Act of 

 ] 884^ empowers the Governor in Council ^'to 

 make, alter, and revoke regulations which shall 

 have force and effect only in waters or places 

 specified therein; " and almost unlimited author- 

 ity is thus conferred upon the executive to 

 establish close seasons, and to make regulations 

 respecting the purchase or sale of fish, including 

 seals, and punishment for violation of the law 

 and orders. The definition in the act of the term 

 '^ waters " indicates that it applies to the entire 

 area of the Colony, of which the southeastern 

 corner is over seven hundred miles from the coast 

 of New Zealand, although a few smaller islands 

 intervene. The Amendment Act of 1887,^ making 

 the penalties more stringent, provides (Sec. 

 6) that the commander of any public vessel 

 may seize, search, and take any offending vessel 



i26and27Vic.c. 23Sec.2, Vol. I, p.436;Extract. . . . "The 

 Government pnrpose leasing the right to seal within the Colony 

 of New Zealand, which extends within the area comprised be- 

 tween 162° east longitude and 173'^ west longitude, and between 

 33° and 53° of south latitude." From "Handbook of the Fishes 

 of New Zealand." Prepared under the instructions of the Commis- 

 sioner of Trade and Customs, by R. A. A. Sherrin. Auckland, 

 1886," p. 254. 



2 Map of Colony of New Zealand, Vol. I, p. 437. 



3 New Zealand Act, 1884, Vol. I, p. 437. 

 <New Zealand Act, 1887, Vol. I, p. 440. 



