ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 211, 25 May 1918, Page 3

ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY

ANNUAL REPORT

A SUCCESSFUL SEASON

The thirty-third report of tho Wellington Acclimatisation Society, to be presented at tlie annual meeting on Wednesday next, states that the receipts for the financial year ended March 31, wore ,£150?. 12s. 7(1., the net proceeds of sales of licenses beinff: —Fiahing-, £847 Is. Gd.; game, .{£l4 15s. Gd.; deer, .£l9l 7s. Gd. (a total of £\2% is: (id.); Government subsidy, oClOO; sales of red deer, £%; fines, J3l 10s.; rent, ,£2O 16s. gd.; donations and subscriptions, .£ls 10s. (id ; refunds of deer charges, .t12.135. lid.; material sold, 17s. The payments amounted to £W6 2s. 3d., consisting of debit bal.ance brought forward from previous year £65. Payments on account of the Mag! terton Hatchery,' JMi 7s. 7<1.; rangers' salaries and expenses, Jfflj 13s. Gd ; secretary, 3100; grants, JIS3 12s. Gd.; printing nnd advertising, •■£G3 Os. 3d.; rent office, £62 10s.; deer charges, .£.311 18s. lid.; game farm, £'16 os. Gd.; delegates' expenses, J;l3 l"s.; cartage (general), £26 55.; and a number of other items, leaving a credit balance at bank on March 31. of £ZS 10s. 4d.

Hie liabilities as nt March SI, MB, were .£39 3s. 3d. The cash ,-i.ssots were:— License fees outstanding: fishing, £20 55.; deer, .£BB 17s. Gd.; subsidy, £\Q 13s. 4d.; rent, JCIG 13s. 4<i.; fines." £7; east on hand, J;8 3s. 6d.; refunds, ,£1125.; and bank balance, JX.& 10s. 4d., making n total of .£IBB 15s. After deducting all liabilities, including dopivciatione, the accumulated funds aro .£1797 3s. 3d., an increase of JSO 11s. 3d. In year. The sum of £Sl 10s. was written off buildings, fittinge nnd plant for depreciation. "The revenue from sales of licenses was satisfactory, viz.:—£l26s 18s. Fishing licenses realised .£793 3s. Gd., being .£65 2s. less than for last j-ear. Game licenses netted £"M 15s. 6(1., an increase of .£29 Gs. Gd. Tor year. Deer licenses amounted to ..£227 195., or .£B3 17s. Gd. more than for last year. Tho net increase on rales of all licenses was MS 2s. Fines produced .4331 19s. Gd. Donations exceeded tlie last year's total by ss. k\.—£K 10s. 6d. iigafnst .£ls ss. The game farm nnd deer park working account gave a profit of .£SB IGs. lid. It should be explained that the receipts (as distinct from revenue) is the money actually, whilst tho revenue is the amount of money earned' during the Snancinl year. Tiie difference in somo of the amounts shown under tho samo headings is accounted for by sums having been paid in during the year, which rightly belong to the revenue account of the previous year.

Red Deer Season. Following its customary policy (when the Easter holiday's begin in March), the society opened its red-deer shooting seasou on liai-ch 29. All the country open to stalkers last season was again available, and so far the sport j bus been well above the average. In all 48 bends were reported to have been taken to April 33. Forty-five license.? were issued prior to March 31, 1918. Tpnty-seven more were taken out to April 30, 1918. Tliero are heads of good quality in the Tararuns, the Unahine, and on several private properties in tlie VTairnrana, but if some of the established herds are to improve, severe culling and an occasional close season will be necessary. Pisciculture, "The past year has besn a trying one for the curator, and in a lesser degree for everyone else. At a late stage of the season the Marine Department notified the society that owing to transport and labour difficulties it wab uoiable to deliver 850,000 brown trout ova previously booked. Tiie order was given to the North Canterbury Acclimatisation Society. The curator and ranger went south to assist in the collection, and eventually the required quantity was transported to the hatchery at Mnsterton.The resultant fry, however, proved weak and lifeless and guyo Mr. Miller an exceedingly anxious time. "In view of the inability of the Hakatnramea establishment to continue to supply ova to societies, the council decided to trap the Waiponn River at MaetoTton, nnd the Porewa stream near Jlnrten, for the purpose of collecting ova for this season's hatching. The curator is now waking all necessary arrangements and is sangino of results, if only good weather prevails during the latter half of May aud throughout June. Up to about fifteen years ago the Waipoua was regularly trapped and produced iarge numbers of firetgrade lish. for stripping. 150,000 Ikinbow ova wera procured from tho Botonm district, G94;500 Blown Ifry, and 139,000 Eainbow were heated in the waters of the society's district. 12,000 Brown were retained for the Mnsterton ponds, and 6250 Brown yearlings were distributed. Game Shooting Season. "The season of 19M , , jaken as a whole, we better sport tjfan for several previous years, but it is still far from satisfactory. It is evident, however, that the policy of liberating pheasants in protected areas and on private properties (where they aro unmolested by their natural enemiesV which has been carried out by the council, is slowly imP«>™S ™ e chances of license holders. The systematic liberation of birds m those parts of the district which offer food and cover only method l>s which the standard can be-raised.

"From a revenue point of view the season was good, 251 licenses having basn issued, C 9 of these being in tho Palmerston North sub-district. The prospects for the 1918 season, judging from reports, are bright. In the Jlutt, Palmereton North, nnd Taihapo districts, pheasants and quail are particularly in evidence. In the Wnirarupa and from Otaki to Wangaehu dusks are plentiful, and in places hares are numerous. It is not anticipated that the revenue derived from the issue of game licenses will equal tho two p/evious returns, as the price of cartridges has greatly increased. Fishing Season, "The sport during 1917-18 has been, ae tar as tho Rnngitikei, Manawatii, and liuanmhangn Rivers are concerned, positively disheartening. These rivers have been constantly clouded, as the result of too much water, and the lish have risen badly. In the Hutt River, and in mainstreams in tlie vicinity, the fishing has been quite satisfactory. A lmsket of eight Brown, weight 3-llb., laken with creeper trom the Whakatiki, is probably the pick; but the Waikuiiao, Porirmi, Souith Karori, and Akatarawn have provided capital sport, while the Kawlmtau ami Hnutapu have furnisbefl many iine fish. Sevei'al anglers have taken the limit. Thirty good fish were .taken in two days from the Waiuui, also sevenIcpn taken for the day. "Iu the northern portion of the district rainbow of god weight and fine quality have hsen taken. At Kawhatu two rainbows weighing together 7}lb. were taken with a fly in a few minutes. The heaviest fish reported ns having been taken wero two browns in the Horowhenua Lake, 1-tJlb. anil 121b., the latter with a fly. ]n the north and south Wairarapa the fishing was disappointing, and as in tho case of the Bangitihoi and Manawntu anglers after trying hard declare the fish nre not there.. If this is only pnrtiy true eome heavy restockirig must bo carried out.' It is, however, a well-established fact that fisli will retire from certain waters and roapper later, in accordance with some obscure instinct. Financially tho revenue from fishing licenses, althongh not equal to last season, was above expectations, viz., iC793 3s. 6d. net.