ACCLIMATIZATION SOCIETY.

Southland Times, Issue 662, 26 April 1867, Page 2

ACCLIMATIZATION SOCIETY.

A Cdmmittee meeting of the Acclimatization Society was held in the G-overnment Buildings yesterday at noon. Present — • Messrs Pearson, M' Arthur, Lumsden, Crouch,^ Moore, Butts, and M'Pherson; . Dr Menzies, the Vice-president, in tine chair. The Secretary reported that lie : > had communicated with the secretary of the Acclimatization Society in Otago, and with Dr Officer, the chairman of the salmon ova commissioners, Tasmania. In -pursuance of resolutions passed at the last meeting, but had not yet received replies, the sub-committee brought up the following report :—- The subcommittee appointed to, consider} and report upon the best course in preparing for the reception of the trout ova from Tasmania, and gerierallyfupon 'eligible localities for. ; breeding * trout, and salmon,, having considered the matter, and visited several localities, agreed that,with-re-gard to trout ova, it would be advantageous to have one permanent breeding pond, iv which the breeding fish would be retained, and from which the-oya.or young fry could be distributed -to other rivers— that Mr Butler offers., to undertake the formation and charge of such a pond, should be favorably considered. — At the same time it re- . commends that some portion of the ova should be sent to at least two other localities, as stock for the waters there, and to increase the chances of success, or with a view to the ulterior formation of more thau one permanent breeding pond, localities being chosen which would be eminently favorable for both- trout-arid ; salmon. It recommends -this^cQurse in the belief that those minor and supplementary ponds which could be formed at a small expense could hereafter, without difficulty, be expandod into salmon breeding ponds'Jwhen the...i*Oj_iety__had_.t-_e. ijonunand of. larger. funds--, than it has- at the .present time. It thinks that it is advisable to rear salmon fry in the waters in which it is intended they shall continue to breed, rather than breed them in a main breeding pond, and subsequently expose, them-— delicate as they would be— to the" danger of land carriage to -.. streams at a distance. ' '''■■y'-y : -" -'.:■*{.* The most of ..the rivers in. the Province appear" to be well adapted for trout, some of them pre-eminently so— as well as being apparently most eligible for salmon. It is recommended that the ponds to be fonhed should I be upon rivulets falling into the Waiau, : the Makarewa," and the Mataura, and some eligible places : upon ■"•'■■ each can be indicated— at Maraerua Plains, • > near the Waiau, a little • way from the Mauawapouri Lake ; on Mopburn Flat, at tha Makarewa;. and on the Wyndham, above its junction :*with the Mataura. ,_ J .,_„ ....... ...... ..... -,^,^-,_. The Committee does not. doubt .that, there are : many other localities equally eligible,' but those named-are well- suited for the object, - and -haye — the advantage, of. residents in ..the immediate neighborhood who will undertake the charge. J. A. R. "Menzies. ;. D. M'Abthub. 7' : April, 1867. ■ ■' - 1 On the motion of Mr Lumsden, seconded by Mr .. M'Pherson, the .report 7. was adopted. The secretary informed the committee that Messrs Butler, Hill, and Wentworth, were willing to erect salmon , ponds contiguous.; to 7 their . .resid^n^s, .7 carry the ova from the ; vessel- to T^tl^e ponds, and take charge of the ova during the time of hatching, _at their ownlcost. A The sub-committee were requested to as-- x (^rtainthe probable, cost of making salmon ponds,rand the Secretary to obtain .the > "consent of some eligible gentleman at -Auckland to act as agent for the society in obtaining and. forwarding the animals and birds promised by His Excellency. The number of membera was stated to • be forty-eight. - -