NEW ROD & GUN CLUB FORMED AT TANEATUA

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 13, Issue 100, 17 June 1949, Page 5

NEW ROD & GUN CLUB FORMED AT TANEATUA

A meeting of Taneatua sportsmen was held at Taneatua last weekend, the object being to foster sport in and around the district, encourage and foster the natural channels for all sport, offer visitors a welcome, and lend a hand and give information enabling them to enjoy a day’s fishing or shooting. For this purpose it was decided to form a Club to be known as the Taneatua Rangers Rod and Gun Club. Officers elected: —

Patron, Mr B. Sladden; president, Mr W. H. Semmens; vice-presi-dents, Messrs L. Sisam, L. Newdick; secretary and treasurer, Mr G. Stanton; auditor, Mr J. Moody and a committee of fourteen, whose names will be submitted to the Government to be gazetted as Honorary Rangers. The meeting decided to give a trophy to be competed for next fishing season and to be won by the person catching the heaviest trout fish caught in the’Waimana or Whakatane Rivers, a condition being that the person who catches the fish must be a member of the Club at least a week before. Mr J. Goodhew, Taneatua, will weigh all fish. The Club is also to hold a series of Clay Bird Shoots from time to time during the year. To Suppress Poaching

The president, commenting on the future of the club, said that with 14 rangers appointed, they would give every assistance to the Government Ranger to suppress illegal fishing and shooting. Their local experience and movements would no doubt keep , down poaching and the use of explosives. These rangers would make themselves acquainted with the haunts of duck and other game so the Club can recommend certain areas to the Government as suitable sanctuaries. The Club would be empowered to pay for all vermin collected and brought to the Club’s headquarters at Taneatua whether collected by members or not. Trap Shooting Grounds The president stated further that he had been offered three good grounds for trap shooting free of charge quite close to Taneatua. Two good trophies had been offered for trap shooting. Apart from shooting and fishing, the Club would aim to inculate a feeling of goodfellowship amongst its members. So far as the young shooters and fishermen were concerned the Club would undertake to coach them in the art of shooting and fishing, instructing them particularly in the dangers connected with the handling of guns and how to keep a gun. He trusted, with the co-operation of all, that the Club would have a successful future.. “An Advisory Body” “The idea in chief,” Mr Semmens said, “is to act as an advisory body to the Government and its officers and to foster a future for the sportsmen to come. What has been handed to use in the past we will pass on as good if not better. “Competition unearthed some of the best sportsmen of the day. Tomorrow we will unearth more. We welcome both young and old as members of something worthwhile in Taneatua.”

Thirty-four members have joined the Club to date.