ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 923, 9 June 1877, Page 3

ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

A special meeting of the Council of the Acclimatisation Society was held at 3 p.m. yesterday. Present —Messrs. Parr, Boys, Jameson, Hon. J. T. Peacock, Sir Cracroft Wilson, and Dr. Frankish. Hou. J. T. Peacock occupied the chair. The Chairman said that a committee had been appointed, consisting of Sir Cracroft Wilson, Messrs. Farr, Jameson, and himself, and they had invited applications for the office of Curator. The various applications had been laid before them, and they had selected some applicants, whose names they would submit to the Couucil. The various applications, five in number, were read. After some discussion, Sir Cracroft Wilson moved—" That the application of Mr A. von Pullnitz be accepted, and that he be taken on trial for one month as Curator of the society." Dr. Frankish seconded the motion, which was agreed to. A letter was read from Mr J. E. Hill, suggesting that the hares might be open for a season of coursing, for say a fortnight during the present month. The Chairman said that a number of gentlemen had spoken to him about opening the park for a coursing season. He was quite in favor of this being done. Sir Cracroft Wilson said that he had never seen a hare on his estate, though it was very near to the headquarters of the hares. He considered, therefore, to kill the hares before they had reached a mile and a half from headquarters was a sin and a shame, and he should protest against it. Mr Farr pointed out that they could not do it. They would have to apply to the Government. The Chairman said he was in favor of the coursing as asked for, as he thought that they might utilise the beagles to drive the hares into the nets. Mr Boys said that he would move—" That a fortnight's coursing be recommended by the society to be granted." Ho might say that during the past ten days he had seen a great deal of shooting, and he had seen one of their principal rangers and two other gentlemen out shooting without a license. The fact was that the ranger in this case was, so far from keeping the law, breaking it, and helping others to break it. The fact was that the game laws were a farce. Sir Cracroft Wilson said that the clause introduced into the Act allowing the owner to shoot birds without a license was introduced in the Upper House by Major Richmond, a man who had never spent one shilling on acclimatisation in his life. There had never been a more unsportsmanlike thing than the introduction of this clause. What was wanted was a thorough revision of the list of rangers which now existed. Any further additions to the list of rangers should be scanned most carefully before the appointments were made. Mr Boys thought that the result of the coursing would be that the hares would be scattered over the country far more widely than now. He did not think there would be any risk by using the beagles in the Park. After some discussion the resolution was amended as follows—" That the Government be recommended to allow one fortnight's coursing, commencing from Ist July," and agreed to. Sir Cracroft Wilson moved—" That the seventy-nine hares ordered be caught as quickly as possible, and handed over to the applicants." The Chairman said that the Curator had been ordered to catch the hares as soon as possible. A letter was read from the Secretary of the Blenheim Society, asking for a supply of trout ova, as they were now prepared to hatch them out. Mr Boys thought that it would be better to send the Blenheim Society the young fish hatched out. It was resolved that the secretary be instructed to reply that the society should have the first ova taken by the Canterbury Society, but that they coidd not say how many they could spare until they took the ova from the fish. A letter was read from the secretary of the Auckland Society, as follows : Auckland, May 29. Sir, —I have received your letter of the 11th instant relative to the importation of a consignment of salmon ova during the approaching season. In reply, lam to state that we shall be i happy to afford you any assistance in our power ! towards furthering the undertaking. We are j informed by Professor Baird that no orders ' would be received after the commencement of June. Therefore, it is now too late to send a special order on your behalf; but as we have written for 200,000 on our own account, we will reserve 50,000 of that number for you; and in case the full number should not be received, we will engage that one-fourth of the consignment (or as near to that proportion as can be ascertained) shall be forwarded to you. We hope to get the ova free of cost as last year, but as tins depends on certain appropriations being made by Congress, we cannot yet be absolutely certain about it. With respect to the salmon trout, we were informed by Mr Stone that they could not be procured from the States' establishment, and our agents in San Francisco were unsuccessful in obtaining any further information about them. I will see that fresh enquiries are made. We received a shipment of 5000 ova of the lirook trout by last steamer, but unfortunately in bad condition. A further lot is expected by the next boat. I was informed by Mr Craig, who secured them for us, that the season for the ova terminates about the end of May. I will write him by outgoing boat, to see if there is yet time to secure a shipment of them for you.

Yours, truly, T. F. Gheeseman, Secretary. S. 0. Farr, Esq., Secretary Canterbury Acclimatisation Society. Sir Oacroi't Wilson moved—" That the offer of the Auckland Society be accepted with the best thanks of the society." Dr Frankish seconded the motion, which was agreed to. The Council tbea adjourned,