ROD AND GUN

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1520, 16 August 1912, Page 2

ROD AND GUN

ACCLIMATISATION CONFERENCE. The conference of delegates to the New Zealand Acclimatisation Societies' Association resumed yesterday morning at the Chamber of Commerce, Mr. L. 0. If. Tripp presiding, and concluded its business by midday. It was resolved: "That every acclimatisation society be given the power of opening, in its own district, the close teason declared by the Act every third year, either lor the whole or a part of the three months, and'eithcr for all species of imported or native game." The chairman referred to the matter of fishing regulations, dealing with the use of nets at the mouths of rivers or estuaries, regarding which a legal opinion, at the instance of Mr. Pollard, had been obtained the previous day from Mr. Myers. Mr. 11. H. Ostler had since gons carefully into the question, and hail reported that under the present state of the law, now that Clause. 13 of the regulations had been declared by the Supreme Court to be ultra vires, it was quite legal, to use nets not only at the mouths of rivers, but in any river itself. This particular elau<o had been declared' ultra vires because it prohibited fishing in any wav in rivers or their mouths (except under a license). The regulation urgently required to be again promulgated in words confining it to fishing with nets, and ho recommended the adoption of the following resolutio'i.—"That the Government, be strongly urged to make regulations prohibiting the use of nets (other than landing nets or whitebait nets) for the catching of fish either in rivers or in the mouths or estuaries of rivers."

THE HON. H. D. BELL -INTER-' - VIEWED. ' ' | Members of the conference subsequently interviewed tho Minister for Internal Affairs (the Hon. 11. D. Hell), and laid I before hi in the results of their deliberations as expressed in the resolutions adopted. In reply to the president (Mr. Tripp), who shortly reviewed the principal matters which had engaged their attention, the Minister said that with the exception of two questions—that dealing with tho control of pea-rides, and the matter .of' protecting the opossums—he couid assure the conference that its recommendations would be favourably, considered by the Government, and that their labours would not be ■ altogether fruitless. With regard to the pea rifles, it was his intention to deal with the serious evil which had been created by the indiscriminate use of this firearm on the part of irresponsible persons, as :i matter apart altogether from sport—as a matter alVccting the general welfare of the public. Valuable animals had been destroyed through the use of this rille, and the farmers had complained. With regard to tho protection of the opossum, it was his intention" to safeguard tho interests of- tho settler—that con: sideration ' nuist como first. _ If the protection of this animal with the view of developing an industry in the skins would be to,the detriment of the settlers' interest's, then he would have to consider the settler. (Hear, hear.) The Minister also inquired of the deputation whether there were any objections held by the acclimatisation societies to tho shooting of fallow deer, which had become a nuisance to settlors. Ho was informed that there was no objection to settlers protecting their cultivated lands by shooting deer which invaded these lands, so long as the deer were shot on these lands.

FISHERIES CONTROL. Subsequently a deputation from the Acclimatisation Societies' Association waited upon the Hon. 1': M.. B. Fisher (Minister for Murine). The principal spokesman was Mr. L. 0. 11. Tripii. Tho deputation asked:— ' - & (1) 'That the Govcrnme'iit be urged to continue the importation of Atlantic salmon. (2) That the Government bo requested to engage a scientific fish expert to come to the Dominion, to study the fish' in '--our-. waters and their focd supply,-and to ro-

commend what steps should he taken to keep up the standard of our fishing. (3) That the Government he- requested to instruct the constabulary to assist the local societies in getting convictions of offenders under the "Animals Protection and Fisheries Act"." (J) That the Government be strongly urged to make regulations prohibiting the use of nets (other than landing or whitebait nets) for the catching of fish either in rivers or in the mouths or estuaries of rivers. The Minister said that the request for tbo prohibition of netting practically raised the question of professional fishermen against amateur. It was at the mouths of rivers that professional fishermen practised netting. He would consult Mv. Ayson as to what should be done. '. Mr. Rutherford, a member of the deputation, said that it would be necessary to exempt certain rivers. The Minister said that he would ask Cabinet to continue th.. l importation of Atlantic salmon. In 181(1, the Government had ordered, one. million Atlantic salmon ova from the Wye Fisheries Board at a. cost, of £M\. Ultimately the Board found itself able to supply only MO.llfiO ova from the Wye. The balance, as in regard to many 'oilier (lungs,, had to be obtained from Germany. It seemed to him strange that a country like NewZealand should have to get fish from Germany. It was not likely to do the Now Zealand fisheries much gcod to put down one lot of ova and let it go at that, and he felt inclined to recommend that another million Atlantic salmon ova should he ordered and put in the same river, lie agreed with the suggestion of the deputation that ultimately a .scientific fisheries expert would have to he imported. In a country like this there should be an abundant .supply of cheap fish. The actual position was extraordinary, and some nay must be found of getting out of it. Mr. Rutherford said that it would probably lx> necessary to set up a Fisheries | Board.

The Minister slid that as to getting tlie assistance of the police in connection with the protection of fisheries, tho deputation (would have to approach the Hon. A. L. Herdman (Minister for Justice). If the latter agreed,' nolieemen could be gazetted, uridei the Fisheries Act, as inspectors.