TARANAKI ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIV, Issue 107, 12 May 1902, Page 2

TARANAKI ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

Thk adjourned annual meeting of the above society was held at the Council Chambers on Saturday. There w< : re present: Messrs W. L. Newman (president, in the chair), Gibson, Nowland, S. Hill, H. J. Day, Bewley, Allsworth, Clarke, and D. MaOullum (secretary). Several Apologies for absence were received. Mr G. V. Hudson, Wellington, forwarded a prospectus of a book 0:1 "New Zealand Naur op ten," which he is about to publish. It was resolved that the secretary procure a copy of the book when it is ready. The annual report and balanc-vsheet were then read. The report congratulated members on the healthy financial position of the society, Beference to > the balance-sheet showed that the revenue fo>* the year had been £207, 19s 4d, which, added to the previous vo-trV Clarice, mod*? a total of .£316 14s j sd. The expenditure was not v;reat,; owing to a consignment, nf fish fry j ordered not coming forward, but amounted to .£B3 10s Id, leaving ai balance of £233 4a 41, Against thigj there is a probable liability of £lso| towards starting a gitne farm in the Wellington district, on the name lines as the Maf-terton fish hatcheries, for the introduction of big game into the colony. Tha society received 10,000 ; rainbow, 10,000 brown trout and 5000 fontinalia fry during the season, which were liberated in the rivers around j Inglnwoi<i and Ur?nu:, and betweon; Stony River and Opunake Good baskets hav) b?an reported, and a fourteen pound fiah tak'n out of the Waiaua (Opunake). Much complaint is made regarding fish poaching, and stringent measures Bhould be adopted to put a stop to the practice. Reports from the different districts point to the fact that pheasants and qua'l are fairly plentiful, smd fiir hags may be expected during the coming season. Virginian qmil are steadily increasing, and will in a year or two afi'ord good sp-irt. Nothing has twn seen or heard of the mallard and pochard duck« since they were liberated in 1898, which is much to be regretted. The same remarks apply to English partridge. Humble bees are increasing to an extent never anticipated by the society, and there is no doubt they must bo doing good work for the farmers. Nothing has been heard of the opossums for some time, but as they were placed in dense bush it will probably be a few years before they will become numerous enough to make their presence felt. The committee havn deemed it advisable, to secure the efficient, working of the society, to form a sub-committee at Opunnk?, and negotiations are proceeding for the formation of one at Inglnwond. Those subcommittees will work under and report to the main committee, and good n-sults should attend their efforts, • In moving the adop'inn of the report the President congratulated members on the society's strong financial position, thought perhaps it would have t-een better if more work had been done, In assisting in the establishment r f the proposed game farm in th» Wellington dietrict gnnd <-ork would be done ; hut unfortunately, owing to the lock of support from other societies, there seemed some likelihood of the project falling through. About £ISOO was required. The President hoped the society would take up the subject of fish culture, and see if something could not be done. Mr Day, in seconding the adoption of the report, thought that money spent on simply liberating fish fry in streams was wasted, as it would be also on the importation of game. He advocated the formation of ponds in which fish fry could be reared for a year, and then put in f o the streams. Such ponds could, he thoaght, be e'tibl shed at the Recreation Grounds. Mr D»y urged that the Henui and oth'r streams neir New Plymouth should ba j fully stocked. This would tend to popularise fishing, aid would bring in increased revenue to the society. The report was th»n adopted. On the motion of Mr B<wlev, seconded by Mr Allsworth, Mr W. L. Newman was re-elected president. Mr D. McAllum was reappointed! secretary and treasurer. I Messrs Paul, Bewley, Gibsm, Diy,! Newland, and Allsworth, were elected i an executive committee. I New members were elected as fol-l lows: —Messrs H. Linn, A. Marsh, T. ,L. Weir, S. Hill, E. G. Allsworth, and H. J, Day. The Secretary referred to the question of endorsing licenses from other districts, and mentioned a case in which endorsement was undesirable. After some discussion it was decided to endorse licenses as usuil, subject to their being approved by the committee. Some general discussion followed on the subject of fish culture, and it was resolved, on the motion of Messrs Hiil and Day, that th-> president, Messrs Bewley, Allsworth, Day, and the secretary be a spfcial committee to endeavour to carry out a scheme on the lines suggested by Mr Day. Mr Gibson suggested the introduc-| tion of new game blood. : Mr Allsworth supported this, and! pointed out that the Recreation j Grounds would be an excellent, place in which to have a ruu for raising game. This would no doubt also add to the attractions of the grounds. Mr Newland thought that birds \ would increase fast enough if the law , were put into operation to protect them ] properly. The following sub-committee was ap- " pointed for Opunake : —Messrs G. W. j Rogers, Rice, and E. Sways'and. The i following gentlemen will be asked to ( let at Inslewood:—Messrs C. O. f Smith, G. Beunett, and J. Gibson, \

jun. An effort is to be made to get a few gentlemen to act as a sub-committee at Waitnra also. The meeting then adjourned.