IS IT A RICH MAN'S SPORT?

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1639, 4 January 1913, Page 7

IS IT A RICH MAN'S SPORT?

'"'.■ WHIPPING THE STREAMS. 7 (By,'i'elesraph—Special Correspondent.)''' /'.Auckland, January 1. _ Although the right to . .issue. '.fishing licenses,' together with the prico at which thcy'inay bo issued, is'provided" for by. legislation, the question is raised from titap to timo as to whether people should not be allowed, to fish when and where they like, without restriction. -Tho point occasionally. comes before.the various-ac-climatisation ; eocieties, and a letter recently sent by. a'southern fisherman, when paying his license fee to tho Southland Society,: raised the question astothe propriety of making preserves.' of the waterways when they wero'really public property; Tho writer suggested the likelihood (should a Labour'. Government get into power) of tho rivers boing declared open' to all for tho-purpose of food supplies, -and suggested a modification" of tho license-fee charged by-'tlio-'society. "' , Inquiries based on the above contention elicited some interesting information this morning from the president of tlm Auckland Society (Colonel W. 11. Haszard). JlVstated that a fishing'license in New Zca and-cost. per season, So that it ?° ii • -»l rcU ?' I>e claim «t that the rivers m this Dominion were converted into preserves.; Neither was fishing'in : Ncw Zea- '•?"■■ ? !, ric, , 1 , n ' lan ' si! P t>r l'"'for the majority of.the licenses issued were to"work-, ing men.' Sonio license fee'was necessary if tho work of stocking tlio rivers was to 1m carried on. At prr-sent Ui« Auckland Society's rcvenno worked ' out at about illlOO per year, every penny of which wp spent in restocking. If there was, no restriction the rivers would bo cleaned out iii a few seasons. Questioned as to the waslo which is alleged to frequently occur, the president of.'tho society declared that it was very rarely, indeed, in his exnerienos, that waste of fish occurred. " Fishermen, no dotibt, ' occasionally caught' good "hauls, but it was surprising how many pcpplo camo along looking for fish' when it was known that there were fish to give away