ACCLIMATISATION

Grey River Argus, 23 September 1937, Page 3

ACCLIMATISATION

Grey Society ANNUAL MEETING Mr P. Beck (president) was in the chair at the annual meeting of the Grey District Acclimatisation Society last everting, there being an attendance of over 30 members. The annual report was adopted, as also were curator-ranger and hon. ranger’s reports. The balance-sheet for the year ended March 31 last, was as follows: Receipts: Balance 1/4/36 £l7 16s 4d, fishing licenses P.O. 1935-36 £l3 Ils 6d, fishing licenses, sundry 1935-36 £7 5s 3d, 1936-37 £lO9 13s 3d, transfer P.O. account £506 17s 6d, game licenses £2B Is, opossum revenue, permits £3 15s, licenses £22 2s 6d; £25 17s 6d, sale of guns (2) £2, sale of rifle £2; total £713 2s 4d. Payments: Advertising and printing £6 5s sd, car expenses £5 13s 4d, cycle expanses £35 8s 4d, N.Z.A.P.A. affiliation £2 2s 6d, hatchery £96 6s Id, ranger wages £lO2 13s, ranger expenses £l7 10s 7d, secretary £36 18s, shags heads £ll 17s, postages, etc., £6 12s lOd, telephone £5 6s, delegates £l6, legal fees £3 3s, public account (sale gun) £l, rewards £3, sundries £3

Ils 4d, bank charges £1 6s 6d, auditor £3 3s; total £357 16s lid. Balance £382 10s Id, less unpresented cheques £2B 4s 8d; £355 5s sd; total £713 2s 4d Liabilities: Nil. Assets: Bank of N.Z. £383 10s Id, less unpresented cheques £2B 4s Bd, £355 5s sd; Post Office account £34 16s lOd, plus accrued interest £l' Os sd, £35 17s 3d; fishing fees o/s. 1936-7 P.O. £l7 4s 9d, fishing fees, sundry (less Marine) £l3 19s 3d, motor cycle £64, less depreciation £l2 16s, £53 4s; hatchery apparatus £2l 17s Id, less depreciation £2 3s 9d, £l9 13s 4d; total £495 4s. Onmmpntinp on the balance-sheet,

the chairman said that although the Society was not as well off as last year by about £2OO this had been due largely to the drop in revenue from opossum revenue and the wages of a full time ranger. Opossum revenue had declined to £25, but the fishing licenses had been about the same as the previous year. It was however, gratifying to find that game licenses had doubled. The Society had done much hatching and the fisherman were getting full value for their money, the Society having received £2OO and spent about £4OO. The balance-sheet was adopted. The president then handed the Mil-ner-Bennington Shield to Mr J. Cowie for the largest fish caught in the Grey River, the catch being of 1011 bs. Before vacating the chair, Mr Beck thanked members of the Council for the assistance they had given him during the year, the country members for their help and the secretary, ranger, police and press for their services. He thought that, it was lime they had a new president as he had been the holder of that office for many years. For the position of President Messrs Beck and H. E. Knight were nominated, Mr Beck declining nomination. Mr Knight was, declared elected. Returning thanks, the new president said that he would do his best in the interests of the sport, both fishing and shooting. There were several ways in which the Society might be improved and he would like to see the annual meeting held earlier in the season, as under the present arrangement the balance-sheet was some months out of date before being discussed. The figures and position of the Society had material altered by the time the annual meeting came round. He would also like to see the trapping of rainbow trout continued so that they could find out how they stood in regard, to their expenditure of £lOOO over the last five years. Other officers elected were:—

Vice-Presidents: Dr. W. G. McKay, Messrs P. Beck, N. B. McCallum, G Milner (town), and J. Hill (country). Council: Messrs R. Marley, H. F. Silcock, W. K. Richmond, J. Hayton, D. C. Steers, W. Mitchell, A. Glen, J. Cowie, A. Beck, J. Smith, T. Higgins, A. E. Rawlins (town) and A. Gibson, H. Roberts, L. Neubaeur, A. R. Curtis (country). Auditor: Mr P. C. Heaphy (re-elect-ed). Referring to the president’s remarks in regard to the annual meeting, Mr P. Beck said tnat it was felt there was more enthusiasm at the beginning of the new season. He agreed that holding the meeting earlier would allow members to know the exact financial position of the Society.

In reply to Dr. McKay, the chairman said that it was usual in other places to hold the meeting shortly after March 31. By holding the meeting so late the Council was placed in a false position .which did not represent the balance-sheet because it related to happenings months previously. Recommendations of the meeting in regard to hatching had to be held over for a year. Mr P. Beck moved that it be a recommendation to the incoming Council to consider the changing of the date of the annual meeting. The recommendation was seconded by Mr J. Hayton and adopted. The ranger (Mr R. Roigard) reported on the trapping of rainbow trout and said that none were yet ready to spawn, but he expected a good run at the end of next month. Mr J. Wilson moved that the ranger be requested to carry on with the trapping of rainbow trout until the run ceased, and that the Orangipuku River be closed for fishing for a further month.

Mr Beck seconded the motion which was carried after a long discussion. It was also decided to recommend that the ranger investigate rainbow trout in Stony Creek. Reporting on the finances of the society, the secretary (Mr I. Bennington) said that the bank balance that day was £398 10s Bd, cash in hand £lB 10s, and in the Post Office £35 17s 3d, making a total of £451 17s lid. In addition assets totalled £72. They were slightly better off than at March 31. The highly successful game season showed that the district was the equal of any in the Dominion. He expected that they would receive £l3O in game licenses this year and if the number of fishing licenses kept up they would come out of the year fairly well. It was intended to strip the first run and possibly the second run of brown trout in the Orangipuku River and sell them to other societies or exchange them for rainbow which would mean a considerable saving.