ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2202, 17 March 1881, Page 3

ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

A special meeting of the Council of tho above was held at 330 p.m. yesterday. Present—Meeare. J. T. Peacock (chairman)

Bays, Marshman, Hill, Oarricb, Bridges, dtoddart, Kimbell, and Dm. Frankish and Britten.

A letter was read from Lady Wilson, acknowledging the receipt of the letter of condolence from the society on the death of her late husband, Sir J. O. Wilson. Dr. Prankish said that two meetings ago he had proposed that pheasants should bo shot on the Peninsula during the forthcoming season, and that the shooting should not take place on the Plains. At the wish of the members he had withdrawn it in favor of one for a close season proposed by Mr Acland. The motion, therefore, of which he had given notice, and for which the special meeting had bean called, was, “ That cock pheasants be shot during the mouth of June throughout the North Canterbury district.” Mr Boys said ho desired to protest against a question which had been finally settled at previous meeting being re-opened. He felt that tho question of shooting pheasants during the season should not bo re-opened. Mr Marshman seconded the rcso.ution.

Correspondence waa read from Amberloy from Mr B. Boater ; from Mr J. T. Brown, Mount Thomas ; from Mr B. N. Morten, Stoneycroft ; from Mr J. Palmer, Burnham ; from Mr W. Goodwin, Greenpark ; from H. Overton, Leeston ; from W. White, Port hilla, Little Eiver, &o. ; from Caleb Whitefoord, at Kaiapoi. Mr Kimbell thought they would bo doing wrong, in taco of these letters, to open the season. He thought all sportsmen would be glad to see a close season. Dr. Britten ashed whether Mr Kimbell thought that there there were many sportsmen here.

Mr Acland protested against the resolution for a close season beirg rescinded. Mr Hill said that there was no donbt that tho birds had been overshot, and that the birds would be all the better for a rest. He had gone to Cashmere, to Courtenay, and on tho Port Hills, and ho had done nothing. As regarded Baupaki, he had asked the Maori shepherd whether he had seen any birds, and was told that there was only a bird to bo aeon now and again. Bespeoting the Peninsula, he might say that he had gone there with two others, and one of them had not fired his gun all day, though they were told that the Peninsula was swarming with pheasants. They must remember this, that the rest given to tho birds would be of great value. As regarded tho asking of the opinions of rangers, they must remember that the secretary had applied to the rangers for information last year, and only about sixteen out of a hundred had responded. There had been a cry that there were too many hen pheasants, but the best remedy for this was to allow the cock pheasants to have a rest. Dr. Frankish said that he was of opinion that there were but few pheasants on the plains, but, as a question of expediency, he was of opinion that it would be better to havs an open season. As regarded the Peninsula, ho might say that there were two properties where there were 133 pheasants bagged last season. Had testimony been required as to an open season he could have produced any amount of testimony as to the abundance of pheasants on the Peninsula. T- e Preaident then put the question as to (he rescinding of the resolution passed on February 23rd, 1881, as to the close season, whi-’h was negatived. Therefore the next season will be a close one for cook pheasants. This closed the business of the meeting.