ACCLIMATISATION.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVI, Issue 4880, 21 September 1925, Page 3

ACCLIMATISATION.

FORMATION OF NEW SOCIETY. CONFERENCE OF SPORTSMEN. A representative meeting of sportsmen was held at Hamilton on Wednesday last, when delegates from Te Awamutu, Taumarunui, Ngaruawahia, Tirau, Matamata, Cambirdge, and Thames were present. Mr D. Leach represented the Ohinemuri Acclimatisation Society. Messrs C. A. Whitney and S. G. Chambers, president and secretary, respectively, of the Auckland Society, were also present. Mi W. Stopford, Cambridge, presided, and stated that the conference had been called with the object of considering .what action should be taken by way of seceding from the Auckland Society and forming a new society for the southern portion of the present Auckland Society’s large and unwieldy district. - Mr W. G. Wohlmann (Hamilton) dealt at length with the failure of the Auckland Society to deal with the requirements of country sportsmen: The main cause of the dissatisfaction was that the chief driving Force in acclimatisation affairs was lacking. . Poaching ' was prevalent, and fish and game consequently suffered. The cure, he thought, was to make the district smaller, and the request for secession was justified. The two alternatives were to let matters slide or to form a new society, for which there would be a compact district with an assured revenue of £2OOO. Auckland would thus be relieved of three-fourths of its responsibility. He stated that there was no personal feeling against the Auckland council, and suggested that it would be rendering a service to sport to assist in the formation of a country society. Mr D. Leach stated that his subsociety was strongly in favour of secession. Ohinemuri was acuated by the true, spirit of sport and wag out to do something for it in the district. Other sub-society representatives supported the suggestion, with the exception of Thames and Waihi. Mr C. A. Whitney pointed out his. objection to a new society being formed, and stated that it could not function as successfully as .the Auckland Society was doing. After a lengthy discussion on the merits and demerits of the proposal it was decided to petition the Minister for Internal Affairs to grant permission to form a separate Waikato acclimatisation district. There were only two dissentients. PROVISIONAL COMMITTEE. A provisional committee was fcset up, .the following being elected : President, Mr W. G. Wohlmann; vicepresident, Dr. Green ; committee, Dr. F. Pinfold, Messrs M. A. Going, E. J. Mea’s. R. F. Haycock, W. H. Paul, F. Moore. 3. Simmons, and Tisdale (secretary and treasurer). It w'as made clear that the committee was a provisional one, to carry on until early in the new year. Petitions are now in 'circulatiofi,. and the new council is anxious that every sportsman will sign the petition, a copy of which is in the hands of Mr D. Leach, Victoria Bakery, Paeroa.