BAGS AND BASKETS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVII, Issue 37, 14 June 1915, Page 2

BAGS AND BASKETS.

I ACCLIMATISATION AFFAIRS. J District sportsmen will e> in*eresr'ed to loam further particulars of the annual meeting last Wednesday. These notes were taken on the discussion following the presentation of the annual report. i The President (Mr W. P. Kirkwood). on moving the adoption of the report an 1 balance-sheet, said the work oi the Society had been very satisfactory and the financial position was also good. Regarding fish, the policy the Society had adopted during the past two or three years was to purchase 100,000 ova, although previously about 50,000 was the number. Previous consignments comprised brown trout and rainbow trout, but the latter lid not thrive well. Judging . from the number of brown trout to be seen, the streams in the district should be wel I stocked. The majority of the ova had been liberated in the Patea, as it was considered good policy to well stock the larger in place of the smaller streams. |?ish were stated to be numerous, a Igreat number of small fry being noticeable, and the prospects for the season were already very favorable. As jto increasing the amount of ova, Mr iKirkwood said they should endeavor lo Ideal with 150.000 or 200,000—it was all a matter of £. *. d. The ova were the best procurable, being straight Ifi-om the cold streams of the South. Iviz.. the Waitaki river. They could 'do nothing this year, but he hoped the 'executive would be able to do us suggested in the future.

Referring to game, the President 'said the time had come when the? jshould consider whether the Society ought to purchase any more pheasants. .The birds were not doing as well is might have been expected, and they 'would have to consider whether the Society should not liberate other game. Partridges had been suggested, but that would have to be carefully gone into, as there was uofc only the question, of cover, but also climate. No I doubt there were other species of game which could be liberated. Snipe might do well, and if so they would provide excellent .shooting. Quail were fairly plentiful. t * * * The vexed question of poaching was next referred to. Mr Kirkwood said the amount of poaching which was going on was very much to be deplorled. Very discouraging reports were received concerning the practice in'the National Park reserve, but it was difficul to sheet the charges home. If possible, members should use every endeavour to secure a conviction and make an example of the offenders. As the position was at present, it was 'something of a farce. The Government proclaimed a sanctuary and then allowed poaching to go on. it was difficult for the Society to do much m the way of employing rangers on account of the cost. The Government might be asked to take more strenuous measures to prevent poaching in the National Park. The Conference had dealt with the matter, but could get no satisfaction from the authorities.

The Native Pigeon.—Mr Kirkwood said the responsible Minister had taken up a position and would not allow native pigeons to be shot. But they were being shot all over the place, and not only that, but were shot by people who were not supporting the Societies. In his (the speaker's) opinion, the Minister should either allow the birds to be shot or should protect them.

Mr W. Morrison, in seconding the motion, said there were one or two things the Society could not afford to overlook. It wa s a fact that over seventy per cent, of the finance of the 'Society was provided by shooters, and it should be spent for the shooters. The indiscriminate shooting of game was 'greatly to be deplored, and it was a | pity other Societies could not be brought into line so as to help to prevent it. They had tried to get support from Hawera, but there the members thought only of their own (listrict. New Plymouth was in the same condition, and would give no assistance. It seemed useless to try and get assistance, but the Society .might approach their M.P. and see if 'some supervision might not be given Ihy the police. The attitude the police took up was absolutely improper. The policy of liberating other game was a complex one. The Society would, of course, have the farmer up against them. As to pheasants, the question 'was open to argument. He could not 'see any reason why the Society should 'not go on importing them. He would 'like to point out that Stratford was the one and only Society in these parts importing these birds, and the district was looked upon as a possible source of supply. They could not afford to import from Australia and the Old Country. He would like to see at least £.">() spent on pheasants; fresh blood would do a considerable amount of good. Unless the Society did something, the game would soon lie as extinct as the dodo. As he had remarked, the shooters supplied over seventy per cent, of the Society's revenue, and there was a feeling that some part of the money should lie spent in im'porting game birds. The balance-sheet was in a very satisfactory position, and the Society had done well. It was quite evident those at the bead of affairs had the sport at heart, and those who did not attend seemed content to let others run the business. ll' matters did not go just as they wished, well that was their funeral. i -x- * -x- * .Mr .]. R. L. Stanford congratulated the Society on its position as disclose-I by the executive. As to the native pigeon, it was well-known that the birds were beinjv shot wholesale. The Society should continue to urge upon the Minister to have an open season next year; or, should the season be. a

close one, that the Government pay, rangers to inquire into poaching;! otherwise the Native pigeon would he [exterminated within a few years. As j to importing pheasants, it was a waste of the Society's time and money; year by year they were getting less. How-; ever, lie would like to see money expended on some other birds, and it might he a good move to try the snipe, j Tliev got no return from the pheasant. It was unfortunate that other Societies did not help. i Mr .Morrison suggested the alteration of the boundaries of the district.} The hulk of the shooting was done in the Stratford district on Hawera licenses. * * * * i Mr Kirkwood explained that in h's 'reference to pheasants he omitted to say that lie believed the birds were not doing well owing to want of cover, which, with the increase of settlement, would make it more difficult for the birds to thrive. Personally he favored the importation of snipe. * * * * Later in the evening, Mr Morrison 'said he questioned whether for many 'years there were to be seen so many young pheasants about the district. It was no uncommon thing to see clutches of ten and twelve. This, he claimed, was due to the infusion of new .blood as the result of the Society's operations. However small the number, he hoped the new executive would 'get some new birds, and he warned 'them that if they did not do so there would be trouble. Undoubtedly, shooters were entitled to the expenditure 'of some of their money.