ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY

Evening Star, Issue 19802, 28 February 1928, Page 10

ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY

OTAGO COUNCIL MEETS The monthly meeting of the Otago Council of the Acclimatisation Society was held last evening, when the following were present:—Messrs A. Cowie (jn the chair, in the absence of Mr C. P. M. Butterworth, who is still too indisposed to resume his position as president), Rutherford, Aburn, Stewart, Dodgshun, Baker, Long, White, Reid, Williams, Turner, Smith, and C. Wilson. GAME COMMITTEE’S REPORT. The Game Committee reported that it had received correspondence as follows : Department of Internal Affairs regarding the proposed destruction of deer by means of salt licks; the nonissuing of opossum licenses to those convicted of offences against the regulations; saying the suggestions regarding the open season for game would receive consideration; enclosing warrant to take and liberate Canadian geese; re non-issning of licenses to take game to those. convicted of breaches of the regulations.—Received. T. Gillespie, Hawca Flat, forwarded information re deer shooting, Canadian geese, quail, and fishing in the Hawea district. —It was recommended that the secretary ask Mr Gillespie to furnish an approximate price for the catching of some hundreds of young Canadian geese next season, and to state how he proposed to catch them. Ron. Muir, Hawea Flat, wrote advising that he had culled the number of deer contracted for in the Hunter Valley, but was unable to kill the required number in the Makarora. —Received. Isaac Taylor, Hunter Valley, notified he had received and destroyed a further 257 deer tails from Reg. Muir, making his total 603.—Received. It was recommended that a further letter be sent to the Minister pointing out that the jaws of the deer killed are the best trophies as evidence of the animals killed. J. D. Collins, Maungawcra, advised he had been to the head of Lake Hawea. but could not catch any young Canadian geese.—Received. J. Buckley, Hawea Flat, wrote regarding culling operations and information wanted re deer by Professor Huxley.—Received. Colonel G. A, Strutt, Auckland, wrote enclosing cheque for £l2 for stalking license, and asking the society to keep block 35.—1 t was decided that a map be sent to Colonel Strutt, and that he bo offered a block in the Hunter. Peter Aitken, Paerau, applied for block 18. Hunter Valley.—Approved. SHOOTING SEASON. In regax-d to the shooting season, the committee recommended that

the words "On any day during the season ” be put in front of the following regulation:—"Shooting may begin not earlier than one hour before sunrise, and must cease not later than one hour after sunset”—and that a clause be added to the regulations that the maximum number of birds that may be shot by any one -person in any one day is twenty-five, and that the secretary should write to the Southland Society regarding their method of planting trout eggs, and ask them if the method was a success. ANGLERS' REPORT. The following report was received from the Angling Committee :—That the manager’s report, the curator’s monthly report, also a special report re the collecting of trout eggs at the Mimihau, bo received. It was recommended that Ranger Pcllett be authorised to get a new rope for the Leith, some cages for holding fish, new landing nets, and heavier wire netting for the fish trap on the Leith. Mr Cowie read a report from Mr Tennent, Department of Agriculture, with reference to the flow of water, ana also a report of his own regarding hatchery matters. T. Gillespie, Hawea Flat, wrote re the trout fishing in and around Hawea.; also regarding stripping operations in Timaru Creek.—Received. R. Leask, Kelso, wrote re the number of shags on the Upper Pomahaka, and offering to shoot them out, if employed by the society.—To be informed the society will be pleased to pay for all shags’ beaks sent in. It was resolved, that the Menzoin Dam, Miller’s Flat, be stocked with rainbow trout. CORRESPONDENCE. A request for five eel pots was made by Mr T. Cockburn, secretary of the Waikaia Angling Club, and was granted. A youth who had been caught fishing with two rods, one of which belonged to his brother, _ who had no license, had been deprived of one of the two rods. A comment was made that, of course, the better rod had been taken.—Action approved. CLINTON HATCHERY. The council then went into commit- . tee, and considered matters in connection with tbe Clinton hatchery, and a lengthy discussion ensued as to th» condition of the hatchery.—A number of reports were read, the contents of which were considered of a private nature.