ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

Globe, Volume VII, Issue 702, 19 September 1876, Page 2

ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

The adjourned special meeting of the council of the society was held yesterday afternoon, at the gardens. Present—Messrs Carruthers (in the chair), Mellish, Wallace, Farr (hon sec), Colonel Packe, and Dr Campbell. The secretary said that the previous meeting held had been adjourned, to enable him to make enquiries as to the standing of the society, and after taking a great deal of trouble, he had found they were in the same position as where they left off before, viz. that the society had no legal standing. His search had, however, been worth something, as he discovered that the Board had the power to grant the society a lease of the ground. On looking through the minute book of the society’s proceedings, he found two blanks—one from November 24th, 1864, to May 25th, 1865; and the other from J23rd August, 1866, to 12th June, 1868. He had been engaged during the morning looking through a file of one of the morning papers, to discover what had been done at meetings held during these intervals, but he had not been successful in gaining any information. On looking through the minute book, he saw that in 1864 the Society held two enclosures in the Domain proper, and £350 (out of which sum the Government voted £100) had been spent in fencing the deer park, &c, and on June 30th of same year, at a meeting held it was reported that that amount had been spent in the Domain, and £650 would be required to complete the fencing, pay the men, and plant native shrubs in the grounds. At this meeting a plan had been submitted by Mr Barker of contemplated improvements. On July 28th he saw that an inspection had been made as to where the ponds should be dug, and a resolution was moved by Dr Haast to have this work carried out, he (Dr Haast) stating at the meeting that the services of a surveyor, whom he was then employing, might be utilised for the purpose of defining the boundaries of the ground. Further resolutions were also moved at the meeting with reference to the deer park in the Domain. The chairman here asked who were the parties who could grant the required concession of the ground. Mr Mellish said the best plan for the Society would be to eat humble pie. The present complication had only arisen through a little indiscretion on the part of one of the members of the Council. Mr Wallace said it was understood at the time the remarks were being made that they were not to be published, and the difficulty had arisen simply through an act of indiscretion on the part of a reporter.

Mr Mellish—The remarks were however made. Mr Farr said that he found from the minute book that a quantity of s .eds had been used by the Domain Board which had been presented to the society. He (Mr Farr) then read a number of extracts of meetings held showing the action taken since the formation of the society in enclosing two acres of land, trenching and improving same, and appointing a keeper, but no record seemed to exist that more than those two acres had been allotted to the society. Mr Mellish said that, after hearing the extracts read, he could not see that any boundaries had been defined, Mr Farr said that he found that in 18(58 a committee, consisting of Messrs Fereday, Johnstone, and Fottage, had waited upon the Provincial Executive with a view to learning on what condition the society held the ground, and at that interview Mr Wynn Williams had stated that the society had no legal right to it, la 1869 Messrs Fereday

and Blakiston had waited upon the Government with the same object, but had received a similar reply, and in 1870 a farther application bad been made by deputation, and they had learnt that no lease could be granted. Though searching carefully, he could not find that any reply had been received granting a lease or right to the ground, and the only color of right he could find was that in 1874 the Government gardener had been found cutting the undergrowth on the land, and on a representation being made to the Government he was told to desist.

Dr Campbell said this had been done more as a matter of courtesy than right. So far as he could see the society only held the right of occupation of the land from year to year, and as the province had gone ahead so rapidly, possibly the ground might soon be required for a convalescent hospital, or some institution of that kind. Mr Farr said the Domain Board had certainly exceeded their powers, and had no right to hand over the ground to the Hospital as they had done, as it was public property. He believed, however, that under the Act the Board had power to give the society notice to quit the following morning. He saw by the book he had alluded to that on July 17th, 1868, Mr Johnstone reported that the committee had had an interview with the Executive, and received a reply that the Government would give the society every facility to obtain a lease of the land, and had promised to bring the matter before the Provincial Council with that object. He could not find that anything more had been done in this direction since that date, but evidently the intention existed then to grant the society a lease as asked by them. The chairman remarked that Mr Harman had said as much that if an application were sent to the Board they would be glad to forward the interests of the society. Dr Campbell said it was very necessary that the society should have the water for the fish as soon as possible. As it had been found that they had no claim to the land, and the purpose had been served for which the special meeting had been called, he would like to move his resolution of last meeting, which had been seconded by Mr Marshman, but which was lost at the time.

After some further remarks, it was resolved, on the motion of Mr Wallace, seconded by Mr Mellish—“ That Mr Carruthers and Dr Campbell wait upon the chairman of the Domain Board, and explain to him the boundaries of the ground required by the society, and if possible obtain an agreement or letter from the Board, granting the society a right to occupy the land for a certain time.”

Dr Campbell read a letter from Mr Duncan, San Francisco, relative to the salmon ova to be forwarded to New Zealand, and which he believed would be shipped by the mail steamer leaving there in September. It was decided to convey the thanks of the society to Mr Duncan for the trouble he has taken in the matter.

Mr Mellish said that as they had not received many applications for young trout, and as the hatching out this season had been unprecedentedly successful, aud as it would be advisable that the fish should be distributed as quickly as possible, he would move —“ That the price be reduced to £1 10a per hundred,' Mr W allace seconded the motion, which was agreed to. Mr Mellish moved—“ That the reduction in the price of the trout be advertised in the Press, Times, and Timaru Herald." Colonel Packe seconded the motion, which was carried.

On the motion of Dr Campbell it was resolved—“ That the garden committee be empowered to distribute the trout in the public streams as may seem desirable to them.”

Mr Mellish said he had received a letter from Australia about the Ligurian bees, and learnt that they immediately crossed with the other bee, and it was doubtful whether they impregnated the clover or not. He would like to know if anything had been heard about the prairie hens. The secretary said he bad written aboutthem but had received no reply. The Council then adjourned.