ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

Globe, Volume II, Issue 188, 15 January 1875, Page 2

ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

. The..annual; general . meejrin<» of.,theabove society was,heUiJast Thursday at the Public. Library. \ The jHpn J; T. Peacock took the chair, and there was a very large attendance. Prior to the general meeting a council meeting was held, at which the curator's report, as- revised for the month, was read as follows:--.;/. . " f,M Financial—Receipts by subscriptions, £l6 8s 1 : receipts by sale of stock, £3 Os 8d ; .total, £l9 8s Bd. Estimated expensesior. January, £ls. The salmon down at New Brighton have been again, inspected,-and still continue to progress satisfactorily,' The cheque for £5 48, of which payment was .refused at the bank, was at oncepaid'oo application to the drawer, who also presented the society with a subscription of £1 Is, and expressed his sorrow that the fact of his having changed his banker should have caused so much trouble. The subscriptions received during the year have exceeded the estimated amount, but next month an increase may be expected, as several persons have refused to subscribe until the new year, under the impri s'ion that they cinnot vote at the election unless their names are entered for the current year. Some boys have been brought before the Resident Magistrate for bunting wild ducks out of ihe season. This is the first instance during the year of any of the 76 rangers exercising their authority, and it U to Dr Nedwill that the credit is due of thus indirectly reminding all his brother rangers of their connection with the society. With a view to remoyUlg tho anxiety ex. pressed oy the "treasurer at the possibility of the Council being called upon personally to make up financial deficiencies, the curator would state that, should circumstance really require it, he would still consider it an honor to do the same which he did for nearly four years, viz, carry on the entire work of the society, including the secretaryship, at a salary of £IOO a year, and with only the assistance of a lad at 6a a week, and also at his own expense introduce the best description of American brook trout aud salmon. The curator, however, i? fully : impressed with -the ideri that in' no period for manyyears has there been greater cause for thankfulness and hopefulness for the future. Notwithstanding all the old breeding fish were nearly poisoned, some 8000 eggs have been hatched, a most important experimentwith respect to salmon breeding has been undertaken, and gives promise of success." . . _ n . ..... The Chairman then called; upon. Mr 8. (I Farr, hon sec, who read the following report :—? . v . •, ; Eleventh Annual,Report. " rue council uf tUo Canterbury Acclimatisation Society begs to submit the eleventh annua for the year ending December, 1874. ' ~:t: t . |F "As will be seen, from the balance-sheet the liberal donation of £BOO voted by the Government has been applied to the pur- - poses for which the vote was granted—viz, for the introduction of insectiivorpus birds and humble bees. A further sum of £3QP was voted for the introduction of the American salmonidas. Preliminary steps have been taken, and the CounciHs in communication with Dr Spencer Baird," of the Smithsonian' -Institute,' Washington, on the i subject, but the ova cannot be forwarded until regular steam communication with San Francisco is established.; ", > '-i-'J'AL'UYAJ )/. "The services of Mr R. Bills have again secured, and shipment of useful insectivorous Euglith birds arranged for. including English i partridges; golden plovers, hsdge sparrows, thrushes, goldfinches, blackbirds, red poles, blackcaps, and brown linnets, these are pxj>ected to arrive in a few weeks, " Dr Buckland is interesting himself on behalf of the society in the matter of humble bees. , • " Steps have also been taken to obtain a supply of the best description of leeches for medical purposes from England. This is, however, entirely at the expense and risk of Dr Campbell. " Notwithstanding thecoropafatively small amount of money at the disposal of the society for general working rxpenses, many substantial improvements have been accomplished in the gardens. ~ " The interior arrangements of the fishhatching house have been completed, as previously decided on, with the exception of the large glass-rearing tanks* only half of which have been at present erected; the material is, however, on hand for the remaining pprtjon, and there is little doubt but that when completed the aquarium will fully answer its purposp, yia,» great source of interest to: the public, and a medium of acqniring and diffusing useful scientific knowledge aba little expense to the society. The occupants of the aquarium for some months include English perch.and salmon," also some New £eabwd whitebait (GalaxTa):* of different ages Have thriven' and grown well. , " Additional ponds of a considerable length have been constructed, with'dividing screens, spawning races, &C, one of wbich has been set apart for the native greyling obtained through the kindness.of Mr W. H. Burton from the West Coast.,,, ' i " Three hundred young trout about four inches in length have been, liberated in the Kiver Avon, and forty-four in the Heathcote; while two hundred and fifty-eight have been reserved for breeding purposes in the gardens, fcixty-two perch of three inches in length have also been liberated, in the Avon. This was the course adopted with the young fish of last' season, the Object being to thoroughly stock theßivers Avon and Heathcote. , With, regard tptheyoiing fish'of the present season, the Council has resolved 1 that they be sold at £5 per hundred to residents in the province up to the Ist of January, 1875. * V : *• The expectations which been formed, of havh.g this season a very large increase of young trout haveiorily bee n partially realised, in consequence of the water supply haVing been injured so as' to;.cause~-rthe illness of the parent fish, whose eggs consequently proved unfertile* -,, " The immediate cause of the disaster was doubtless owing to the brook which supplies

the ponds having' been deepened by the Government, for a considerable length, for drainage purpose?, thereby opening up a mineral stratum. Means were, however, taken as soon as this was discovered to remedy the evil, and the brook re-Btocked with native fish as a food-supply. The council would, however, call the attention of their successors in office to the importance of obtaining an" ample supply of good water from the river. " Out of the salmon ova imported by the ship Oberon there are thirty-eight salmon A large cage was made, which was anchored in the river Avon a little' below . Victoria bridge. :In the cage 'were placed, nn the 3rd November last, eleven of "the largest' salmon ; they remained there sixteen days, during which time they" throve well. <Jn the 19th November the cage was raised, and floated down to a spot in the stiver Avon, bellow New Brighton, where at high tide the water is brackish.. . — : "• ■■-*■ . # ' ... „ * The garden committee. have three time* - Visited the spot. On trie last occasion, vie., Thursday, 24th December, the cage was raised, and the eleven 1 fish were examined. They were, in good health, and {increased in size considerably. It was calcn lated that one of them was one foot in length, ' "The garden committee, if , retained in office, purpose in another month or six weeks to remove the cage to the sea, in the vicinity of Sumner. VThere are still twenty-seven.salmon in the Gardens, and the chairman 1 and one of the vice : cbairmen of the coudcH,'trhdei instructions from the council, waited 1 dntwo separate occasions upon his Honbr the Suj)erintendent, with a view to obtain the services of the hard-labor gang tor the purpose of bringing a constant supply of fresh water from the river Avon into the society's,Gardens for the use of these twenty-iseveh fish. His Honor refused both applications; and'the first duty of the new council will:be providing, pure river water for these .young salmon; "There are now seventy-six nipgfers appointed, and it is hoped that the provisions of the law for the protection of imported birds and animals will be enforced in future. "Ihe council is of opinion that house sparrows, should no longer be protected, and it has been suggested that his Honor the Superintendent should issue a proclamation under the !Act withdrawing them from protection in future. " Reports have been brought from. all quarters that an immense number of young pheasants have been hatched this season,-and upless the rain which fell in the-week ending Monday, 21st December, has destroyed the. young birds, your council is of opinion- that ■' it would be advisable that licenses should be issued permitting the shooting of male "pheasants during the months of May.and June, 1875! 'LfX.IiJ -f.r ■*.« ; : ■' ■ -• "The council has raucn pleasure in acknowledging the treasurer fbr the society fh London. •"" ; "J. T. PEACOCK," .;,.:: XI U i mOhatKnan." The, hon treasurer, Mr Jameson, then read the financial statement of the society for the year, which showed _as follows:—To.. balance in band, £152 8s 2d ; subscriptions. £135 ss; sale of birdsand fl|h?£79 16s; Provincial Government grant, 48Q0; fines from Resident Magistrates* Court, *3 ; total roccipto, £ll7O 9s 2d ; expenditure "for. year t £1036 5s 3d ; balance in hand, £154 3s' lid. I Mr Bird moved the adoption of there--port and balance sheet, to be printed and circulated among members. , r Mr Wallace seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously, . < The chairman said that at the general meeting it was usual to read the attendance of v members of the Council at meetings held during the year. For the past 1 year the attendance had been as follows: " Mr Peacock, 8 meetings j Sir J. C. Wilson, 14 ; Mr Russell, 7; Mr Carruthers, 5 ; Mr Wilkin, 1,; Mr L. Harper, 2; Mr James 8. Williams, 6 ; Mr Palmer, 1; Mr Ollivier, 1 ; Mr Stafford, 6; Mr Anderson, 2 ; Mr Johnstone, 14; Mr Wallace, 13 ; Mr Marshman, 4 ; Mr Wilson, 3 j Dr Campbell, 14 j Mr Jameson, 13 ; Mr Farr, 16 j Mr Blakiston, resigned. During the.year the council has held 11 monthly meetings, 5 adjourned meetings, and 4 special meetings." The chairman said that as the time for | which the council had been elected had expired,' it would be necessary to proceed to the election of a new council. ' '., Mr E. M. Johnson would like to say that, . as the old council had done so much to place -;■ the society in its present satisfactory posi- :: tion, a great deal of time would be saved by ~ electing the late members, and, as Mr Blakiston bad resigned, substitute the name of the : Rev W. J. G. Bluett in his place. • . , The chairman observed, that according to the constitution of the society the election would have to be made by ballot. Messrs J. T." Bird and W, J. Fisher werie appointed auditors, and a ballot having been taken the following'gentlemen wereelected-~ Dr Campbell 41, Hon J. T. Peacock 38, Hon E. W. Stafford 38, Sir J. O. Wilson 37, HVfR Johnston 37, T. Wallace 37, Hon J. 0. Watts" Russell" 36, J. MarShmW 33, W. D. Car- ' ruthers 30, L. Harper 27, R. Wilkin 26, W. D. Wood 26, J. A. Bird 25, R. D.Thomas 25, Rev W. J. G. Bluett 25, John Anderson, sen, 25, John Ollivier 23, H. J. Tancred 21, S. C. Farr 18. Sir Cracroft Wilson .said _that, as there was a quorum of the newly-ekcted council . present,, he hoped that, as 'many persons . were, anxious to take out fishing licenses, they would elect their officers that evening, to facilitate the society's business. He . would: move that Mr S. C. Farr be appointed hon secretary. | Mr Farr felt thankful for the expression of continued confidence, bat as he had held the office for : six years, and now found that the duties interfered with his profession, he must decline. At the desire of the meeting.Mr Farr consented to act as hon secretary and treasurer pro tern. . ; • ' : A vote of thanks to the chairman followed, and this concluded the business of the general meetipg. / ,' On the motion of Mr E. M. Johnson, an expression of thanks to the curator of the society was recorded, for his attention and success in his efforts in fish-hatching during the previous year. ': , ,;-, '■. " ~' j ' At the conclusion of the general meeting a special meeting of the Council was held, the Hon J. T. Peacock was voted to. the chain I The Hon J.' T. 1! Peacock' was re-elected chairman, and Sir Cracroft Wilson and the Hon J. T. Watts Russell vice-chairmen.' i The appointment of Mr S- C. Farr, as hon secretary and treasurer pro tern, was confirmed. • •" ';• .{i , ' A form of fishing license was read and approved! ' ' I The meeting then adjourned, ■...-.,