ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETIES.

Hokitika Guardian, 19 September 1924, Page 4

ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETIES.

ANN UAL CONKER ENCK. WELLINGTON. Sept. 17. Delegates from till parts of New Zealand attended the liftoeuth annual conference of the New Zealand Acclimatisation Societies’ Association to-day. The president (.Mr L. O. 11. Tripp) presided. PIiESI DENT’S ADDRESS. The president said lie did not think the public realised the work the Societies were doing. It was of national importance. They had supplied clean, healthy sport for the people, and attracted overseas visitors. One of tinmain que.sti'.nis they had to ileal wit It was how to keep up tin; standard <>t the fishing, and that was really a matter ‘if keeping up the food supply ol the lish. He thought the time had arrived when the Government should

appoint a. scientist who had made a special study of that question. Ihe Societies might contribute .something towards his salary. The expert should lie given an importunity ol studying the rivers, mid lie in a position to advise visitors from overseas where to obtain the best fishing. Since the UL’O conference the Animals Protection .'.ct had been consolidated, and they were now looking to see all the I* isltel ics Aits consolidated and amended; Mr Seed saiil it- was possible the Forestrv League would be putting a proposal before the Government that a Coaimi-sion should he set up to consider the amalgamation of the tontrolling Indies of wild life in New Zealand. Ml- Stead expressed gratification at the increase in native bird-. He expressed the opinion that the rat was the oreatest enemy of the birds. ' ELECTION OK OFFICERS. The "election of officers resulted President. Mr L. <>. 11. Tripn _ (Wellington); vie ‘-president. Mr C. Whitney ( V tick la in I) ; inuiu-iL Messrs 11. 11. (Isth-r (Auckland). 11. Cod by. E. I-'. Stood (North Cnnlerhiiry). F. IHobson (Dargavilh-K 1.. B. James (South Canterbury). -I- Gilkinsnit (Southland). C. P. Bulterworth (Otago). B. C. Bennett t llawcra). (. \V. Mclntosh (Tnuraiign). V. Dtiigan (Wanganui). A. F. I.ovve (Wellington), treasurer. Mr I. F. Dyer; auditor. Mr W. S. Wheeler; secretary. Mr C. 1Dnscut.

I! EM ITS CARRIED. The following remits were passed: “Thai the Government he urged to provide lor lislt ladders in the construction of the A rap uni dam; to enforce the registration of ail nets used for taking indigenous lish ill estuaries, to tali'* steps to tin- pollution of all rivers; to bring in a measure dealing with the deposit ol I'd Use in livers ti ml streams, and t" im-rens" the minimum line for the pollution ol streams t" £lO.

‘•Thai the llighwavs Board he urged in its loading policy to avoid the 11 se of tar ill the vicinity "f rivers eatrving trout owing In its ilosl motive "ll'ee'-ts Oil lish life. Ilit Ilincii. on the ntliop hand. In’iniS innor;n»tiN. 4 * ‘•That the Government !>•• urged to pass the necessary legislation to ensure that whenever and wherever a liver is dammed lor whatever pill pose, an adequate lish ladder shall he provided. ami erected by ami at I' lo p.-nse ef th" party or patties r.--|ioti--,il le for the construction ol the dam. lin* tMfi’tinn ul rarli ti^ ll latltlrr tu subject to tin- approval of the Inspector'of Fisheries, to whom plans of the proposed lislt ladders st he submitted- that bligatioM to erect such liJ, ladders shall apt.lv to all dams already existing as well as those proposed • that neglect or failure to provide such frili ladders shall constitute an offence under the Fisheries Act; that such neglect or failure he punishable by substantial hues; that in part n-uln t the Government la* urged to insist Mint the alcove regulations m-tv apply to all I ydio-oh-el lie works; that owing to their multiplication am! habitual disregard of erecting adc-cptalc- or any |i-.h ladders, the mall'-t is now ol vital ami immediate impoi lam e. •‘T hai the Renat lim-iit el Agriculture he urged to have hares in the district of the llawcra Acclimatisation Society protected and governed hv liin t!,«• ssiiih* nunni'T its mitivi* and imported •That the Annual- Protection and (lame A'l. H’-1 he altered so a In allow an o|" , a s'-csoii for Eastern golden |Jov*-r acid t'lio lull" •' I Ihe -.elite time nt tin- yar as tin- open season lor "aclw it and knots." ‘•That the regulation- under winch a propcrty-o'.vm-r may appoint a nominee i ■ shoot on his own property without a license )»• nioemlcl to provide that no person other than a pi ciperly.owner, who does pot de.-irc- to shoot shall lie entitled to nblnin from the Acclimatisation Societ yol his d 1-4 r:.’ -t a I roe perml|, fin- any one mimiu"e, which shall he available in respect ol that pru-

pi-rt.v only.” ‘•That the p-.-nall ic-s for -Jmoling game out of season should he im leased, tin- minimum to In- no! less than £•> for the oll'emc- and IDs additional for each head oi game taken.” ‘•That the restrictions on the shooting of pukokd In* removed : that pukcUo he placed in Schedule 111 of tin- Act. and Acclimatisation Socic-I ic-s be given the power to dec id" whether pukeko -hall l»- shot in any w-as.-ni.”

•‘Thai the- conference- consider the advisability of i-c-cpicsting lin- G'lVorn-im-ut. in simp-ml the elver tag system in those Hist i ii-ls when- pro I "el ion on deer has h sen removed hy its aiilhorily null! prolcciieui is again re-imposed.

‘That the GliVc-lliinelll In- asked lo remove the protection on b-rre-t.-. stoats, and weasels oxcent ill rabbitinfested districts; that in tin- event of (he (liiVi-riiim-nl n-mo.iug such protoeI i,in all Micic-ties lie ic-quc-sli-cl to pay a royally of (id per tail I'm the destruction of lhose animals.” “That the Governinenl lie requested to remove' the protect inn on prey ecu Is."