The Invercargill Times. FRIDAY, JANUARY 29. 1864.

Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 36, 29 January 1864, Page 2

The Invercargill Times. FRIDAY, JANUARY 29. 1864.

It was with much satisfaction that we noticed that nu Acclimatisation Society had been formed in lnvercargill, called the Southland Acclimatisation Society. We hailed ite formation with the greatei' pleasure as au indication of spirited energy on our part — -the youngest province in New Zealand, we Were almost the first to take steps in a matter of no inconsiderable importance to the interests of the colony ; to turn 'Uir attention to a subject which is beginning to attract the earnest notice, not oulv of our Australian neighbors, but European Powers. Secretaries of Acclimatisation Societies in the old country correspond with similar officers in the colonies, and Secretaries of State call the attention of the various Governors to the subject. In the _AV/'' Zealand Gazettt' of the 7th November last, is published a circular despatch from the Duke of Newcastle to the Governor on the subject of Acclimatisation. The Emperor of the French has evidenced on several occasions the marked interest he takes in it. Everywhere is the subject attracting interest. As population increases, the necessity of providing an increase of food is apparent, and we believe Acclimatisation Societies, properly conducted, will materially assist in this important work. Taking all these circumstances into consideration, we considered the i start this Province had taken in the matter was a subject of grat illation ; I that start was made months ago, but we have heard nothing of the Society since. Has it come to a premature end, or is it merely suffering from a fit of lethargy. On the 7th September last there was a public meeting held in the Mechanics' Institute to cpnsider the advisability of forming an Acclimatisation Society. A Provisional Committee was appointed, consisting of twenty-two gentlemen who were to obtain information and form rules. An Honorary Secretary was also appointed, who was to correspond with the secretaries of similar societies in Victoria, New South "Wales, Tasmania and Auckland, obtain copies of their rules and regulations, and general information bearing on the subjects of the society. All this we understand has been dbne, but no further steps have been taken to bring the society into an efficient state of organisation, and make it of dome practical use. Now is the season, fov talcing action in the matter, In the statement of the revenue and expend!* ture for the quarter ending Slat? December last, we see under the head of expenditure the following items ;«« Salmon, £250 ; English birds him! gams, »50i The salmon spawn may "be expected in a few month'?, and yet nothing has been done tdwarcw iiiaklug ponds for the reception of the ova, This is a work which might bebestdone imdei 4 the superintendence of the Society, It would have been better also to b&v& handed over to the Society the money • fgr birds and game, sum, without being siipptementsflj is $80

small; aud unless properly instructed, the agent in England will dissipate, it uselessly in attempting to send out too great a variety, instead of confining himself to a good number of one sort. Thus, by the last shipment we received one-hare, one blackbird and two goldfinches. The hare, we believe, took a melancholy view of the matter, and committed suicide by breaking its back; the blackbird escaped,and, in the absence of sympathy on the part of the aboriginal choristers of our woods, has probably shared a similar fate ; the goldfinches are, it seems, both females, and are rapidly exhausting themselves in vainly whistling for a mate. Such a method of acclimatising foreign birds and animals is useless ; it would take years to propagate any one species. It would be far better to concentrate tlie funds and attention of j the Society on some one or two speciesI each year, and import them in such quantities that they will spread rapidly. The enclosure to the Duke of Newcastle's despatch to whicli we have referred to, states that —" The main purposes of acclimatisation are to introduce, acclimatise, and propagate in the United Kingdom and its dependencies such animals, birds, fishes, insects, and vegetables as are likely to be of use or ornament, whether for domestication or for varying the common food of the people, or for manufacturing, or for any other useful purpose." Our infant (Society has, therefore, a wide field for its energies, and we trust it will not let them be dormant. While calling its attention to the introduction jof foreign game and fish, we must I strongly urge on it immediate action 1 in the protection of such as are indigenous. While spending money to introduce salmon, do not let us by our own carelessness lose the Stewart's Island oyster, which we much fear will be the ease unless some steps are at once taken to stop the wholesale destruction which is at present taking place, not only from residents here, but from Otago. We imderstand a ! cutter trades regularly between Stewart's Island and Dunedia, l carrviug away oysters in the most wholesale manner, without reference to the breeding season or age of the oyster. Such a system will soon destroy the celebrated oyster-beds of Stewart's Island, which, if properly farmed, would yield a handsome revenue to the (Government. In the October number of the Journal of Agriculture, and the Transactions of the Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland, for the year 1K59, is a most I interesting paper on Ostreoculture, l under the head of Maritime Pisciculture. The writer, speaking of the | diminution in numbers of tiie oyster in (ireat Britain, states —-"The reason of the enormous loss thus sustained is uot to be sought for in the lessened energy of the reproductive powers of these tenants of the waters, but in the senseless greed of man, destroying them by millions while their generative functions are in exercise, or before they have attained maturity. Oyster bed's, once famous for the abundance and quality of their products, have been depopulated alike on the |s ho res of (Ireat Britain and of Trance." To instance the injury to the national wealth, lie states— | " From the island of Jersey alone, 200,000 bushels of oysters are annually exported: and 250 boats, 1500 men, and 1000 women and children, are employed during the season. The artificial rearing of oysters atMarennes, furnishes annually fifty millions of oysters, averaging, according to M. Coste, three francs per hundred, thus yielding the enormous sum of two millions of francs."" What would not Stewart's Island yield, in this one branch alone, to the Grovermnent, if the valuable oyster beds were properly looked after? The French Emperor, anxious to develop to the utmost the piscatorial resources of France, to repopulate her exhausted oyster beds, has for years devoted much attention J to Maritime Pisciculture, having called j to his aid the distinguished naturalist M. Coste, who has intelligently and zealously carried out his designs. In his first' report he promised the Emperor, with all the enthusiasm of a Frenchman, that if assisted as he would wish, '• oysters shall swarm on every rock from Dieppe to Havre, from Havre to Cherbourg, from Cherbourg to the depopulated banks of La Eochelle; and other famed localities shall resume more than their ancient prosperity." In his second report lie proves he has accomplished what he promised by re-stocking the oyster-depopulatedbay of Saint Brieune. We cannot, at present, inquire further into this interesting paper. We have quoted sufficiently to show how easily the finest and most prolific oyster beds can be destroyed, as also how by care and proper attention they can be made a profitable source of revenue. We would therefore urge upon the Southland Acclimatisation Society to take immediate steps for protecting the oyster beds of Stewart's Island from the rapacity of those who at present rob them indiscvirainately, "We presume the Superintendent might bring tho " Protection of Certain Animate Act of 1861" into openVoion, m regard* lilio Btow«U't'*s fafawi oyster,?,* ill* though the Island is not yet jmv«( ctatsd; Xt my .rate it is the duty of the Society to see tlmt everything which cau be done in the' way of teetion will be done, ; i