ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

Evening Star, Issue 2919, 27 June 1872, Page 3

ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

This afternoon, at two o’clock, the annual meeting of the Acclimatisation Society was held at the City Council Chambers. Mr W, D. Murison, the President, was in the chair, and there were present— Mr Turton (Secretary), Capt. Boyd, Messrs Hepburn, Hodgkins, M'Glashan, Larnach, Oliver, D. F. Main, J. T. Thompson, Tewsley, J. Reid, &c,, &c. The Secretary read the balance-sheet to the 31st March, from which it appears that the balance in hand last year was L 125 Ss lid, and 15s in petty cash. The receipts were—Donations and subscriptions, L 207 15s ; Provincial Government, on account of subsidyof two hundred pounds,Lßoss 6d; sale of birds, seeds, and eggs, L3B Is 8d total, L4476s Id. The payments were—Forpurcbase of stock, L 142 17s Id ; purchase and distribution of seeds, L 95 16s; expenses connected with the distribution of stock, L 22 17s 6d ; destruction of hawks, 15 10s ; wages, L 96 ; commission, LG 10s 6d ; food for birds, LG 3s 2d ; postages, L2 7s lOd ; sundries, Ll6 12s 6d; —balance to the credit of the Society, L2 11s 6d. Since the balance-sheet was made up to the end of the Society’s year, the Provincial Government paid over the amount remaining due of Lll9 14s Od, and liabilities were incurred to the amount of L 24. The report details at great length the proceedings of the Society for the year. It ex plains that, owing to the limited revenue of the Society, they were unable to arrange for shipment of stock from England, which however was of less consequense, as nearly all valuable insectivorous birds and gams are already acclimatised. A large sum was expended during the year on the purchase and distribution of seeds, principally of Coniferoe, procured from California through the able agency of Messrs Gross and Co. Seeds of sixty-five kinds of trees had also been presented by Mr William Thomson, forwarded to him by his son from the garden of the Taj, Agrr, The Society were not in a Jiosition to contribute towards the subsidy rom the Acclimatisation Societies required by the Government to supplement the vote of LSOO by the House of Representatives ; but it was for the Society to say whether LIOO should be appropriated to that purpose. As the funds disposable will be probably about equal to last income, the Council are of opinion that the expenditure should be limited to the distribution of trout and the purchase of forest tree seeds. The remainder of the report gives cheering accounts of the increase of pheasants, partridges, Californian quail, hares, axis and fallow deer, insectivorous birds, and trout. The report and balance sheet were adopted on the motion of Mr Tewsley, seconded by Mr J. T. Thompson. Mr Larnach moved a resolution to the effect that the society regretted that the state of its funds rendered it undesirable to contribute towards the importation of salmon ova, and that a copy of the resolution be forwarded to the Colonial Secretary. The motion was carried. Mr W. D. Murison was re-elected president, and Mr Thomson vice-president. Committee —Town; Messrs J. Reid, H. Tewsley, R. Oliver, W. J. M. Larnach, G. K. Turton, W. Mann, E. M'Clashan, G. Matthews, W. Hepburn, Captain Boyd, R. S, Cantrell, F. C. Fulton, A. Crigor, J. W. Murdoch, P. D. Rich, J. F. Kitching, Rev. W. Will, H. Deneh, F. Roberts, J. Shaw, W. Shennan, W. A. Young, P. P. Stoddart, A. Jones, and W. Derritt. The question of electing a secretary and treasurer, in the room of Mr G. K. Turton, resigned, was postponed. On the motion of Mr M ‘Clashan, a vote of thanks to the retiring office-bearers was passed.