ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

Evening Star, Issue 2830, 14 March 1872, Page 2

ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

At a special meeting of the Council this afternoon, there were present—Messrs Minison (in the chair), tsise, Mason, Turton, and Hepburn. Mr Murison read the following telegram he had received from the Colonial Secretary :—“ Re-vote LSOO, salmon ova. Government about te send orders for ova, but require LSOO to be subscribed by Accli ~a-tisation tisation Societies iu addition to vote. Southland guarantees L3o®; Christchurch, LIOO. Nelson does not join. Will your Society contribute balance ? Communication to you in first instance accidentally overlooked. Government have decided as funds only enough for one experiment to confine hatching to Southland pouds, shipping to Port Chalmers by fast vessel. Reasons for selecting Makarewa ponds svere—lower temperature of seawater; Ireedo.u trom being rendered turbid by diggings ; favorable nature of estuary, and number of suitable streams running into it. Reply in time for outgoing Frisco mail. ” He thought it would be well to explain how the question arose. In 1869 the General Assembly passed an Act granting to the Southland Acclimatisation Society 2000 acres of land, the proceeds from the sale of which were to be devoted go ely to the introduction of fish and the maintenance of fish-breeding establishments. The Southland Society sold the laud at LI per acre, and receive LSOO for four years. Sein» obliged to contine the expenditure to fish-breeding, the Southland Society, last session, supplied to Mr Macandrew to get placed on the supplementary estimates a sum not exceeding LBOO. The Government placed on LSOU, but that sum not being considered sufficient, Mr Butts, the secretary of the Society, wrote to the Otago Society, to the effect that the LSUO required to be supplemented by L3OO, and suggesting that the Otago Society should give Lioo. in the meantime the Southland Society, in order that there might be no de ay, guaranteed the whole L3OO. This was iu October, about which time the order should have been sent home, in time for the proper season in January. Now nothing could be done till next winter, eo that he could not understand the present hurry. The question to be considered was whether the society was able to pay LIOO required to bo guaranteed; second, whether it was advisable to do so in the present aspect of the salmon question iu the Colonies. There was only one question iu his mind which made it necessary to do so, supposing they could ; and that was the Society should not stand iu the way of the experiment being made. He deprecated the experiment being carried out under Government auspices ; but felt sure if it was left to the Southland Society, the fish would be properly reared. After discussion it was resolved tp reply to the Colonial Secretary’s communication to the effect that the Society saw no reason for coming to an immediate decision, but if there was they would guarantee the LI 00 contingent on the Provincial Council voting the usual subsidy. Mr Turton reported the arrival of a quantity of Californian seeds, the distribution of which was left to Messrs Murison and Hepbum, A discussion took place on the advisability of continuing the services of the Society’s manager, Mr Beaus. It was explained by the Treasurer that the sole claims against the Society at present were those for wages. Since the last meeting he had drawn LBO 6s 6d from the Government, and had lodged a voucher for L 56 6d, the amount of subscriptions for the December quarter of last year. The Society had therefore a claim of L 64 on the Government. He bad already L4O in hand on account of the present quarter, and it only required L 24 to entitle the Society to receive the full vote of L2OO. There was also L6l to the Society’s .credit at the Sank. It became a serious question whether the Society with its limited income could afford to pay LIOO a year to its manager. Mr Murison contended that it was highly necessary to keep Mr Deans, and advocated his employment to raise seeds till the plants and trees became sufficiently strong to allow of their being distributed. A similar view was taken by Mr Mason; and it was ultimately resolved to recommend to the general meeting Mr Dean’s employment in the manner suggested, Mr Sise stated his willingness to present a parcel of American grass seeds, shortly expected. Mr Turton acknowledged the receipt of a collection of pine samples from Messrs Cross and Co., California, which were ordered to be forwarded to the Museum. The following donations wore acknowledged Messrs W. Martin, T. Allen, J. E. Brown, R. S. Cantrell, W. A, Young, O. W. Adams, and W. D. Murison—Ll each.