ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 103, 28 April 1903, Page 2

ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

ANNUAL MBRTING. I Chebk was a fair attendance at the iTowu Hall on 3iturday afternoon, when the annual meeting of the Aocli-ma'i-ation Society was held, Mr W. L. Newman presiding. Amongst those (resent were Messrs Bewley, Paul, 8. Hill, J. E. Wilson, F. MeAliuei, Oorkill, Grayling, Sladden, Allsworth, N«»Und, Gibsoo, Ibboteon, D. MoAllun (seoretary), and others. C'OHMITTXX's RIPQBT. The Committee's thirtieth animal r#po t was as follows: Finances. bilat.ee sheet it will be seen tbe revenue for the year was £l9l llisd, which shows a slight falling off in shooting licenses, but an increue in fishing license; this added to last year's bahnce gives a total of £42* 15a 3d. The expenditure was £l6B 9flod, leaving a credit balance of £266 6s lid, but against this there is a probable liability of £l5O towards the up-keen of the game farm in the Wellington district. , Pisciculture.—Tbe Society received from Masterton hatcberiis 6000Jon> tinales, 16,000 rainbowr, and 20,000 brown trout, which hare been liberated in the rivers around Opunake, Sentrr Hill, and New Plymouth. It is with great pleasure your Oommitt e ate able to report, after many years of patient and psisVent effort, the acclimatising of the rainbow trout in the Waiwakaibo river, several fine fish ranging from 3£ to t|lba having been taken during ihestason. Anumberofanutter fish have been seen, whioh is very encouraging, and gives promise in th* near future of making the Waiwakaiho river one of the best fishing streams in New Zealand. Your Committee, acting '■ on the instructions given at tbe ltst meeting, report the successful starting of rearing ponds in tbe Recreation i Grounds. Two ponds have been 000. . structed, and 5000 rainbow trout were placed in them, tbe caretakers of the 1 Recreation Grounds feeding them night - and morning, and the result has been ex'remely sucoesbful. The fish grew • ao qu-'ckly it was dremed advisable to . thin them out, and the secretary took i out about 400 fine fish of between four and six inches and liberated them in - the Te Hetui and Mangorei rivers. The remainder will be placed in the ' Waiwakaiho river, as time and cirotuautances permit. Your Committee, ' taking into acoount the great sucorsiof the venture, have ordered the eon--1 struotion of other ponds, and the secretary has baen instructed to attend to the matter. Orders for 26,000 rainbow and, say, 10,000 brown trout will have to be given to stock the-e ponda. Birds and Other Game.—Karly in the year the Society received a circular i letter from the Government, re the introduction of game birds and »^'"if'i , into the colour. This Bocit!y was «>lltng to contribute the sum of £169, providel other Societies also eoutri--1 buted similar amounts, but at no reply > hi been received from the Govern* > men% it is prrsumed other Societies did nov fall in with tbe idea. We regret the reports from the different districts point to the fact tbat birds are becoming very scarce, and it will be ad--1 visibl-t. to dose the shooting season > ocxt yeir, more especially as that > uason will be a o!o » ore for native <*me, Your Committee have nothing > further to report on tbe mallard and pochard ducks, opossums, and humble bees. Ked Deer.—Several sportsmen have xpres*ed a wish to have the red deer intioduoed into the distrust and pot-' sib'y if the Society agrees to bring ) them here, a good place for tbem would ; be tbe ranges and mountain reserve anl we would suggest tlut the subject ■ be brought before tbe Stratford and • Hawera ScoUties, asking for their oo- ■ operation. Several sums of money, probably £SO, hue been promised towards paying the expenses. Acclimatisation Association.—Fer ■ some tiraa the question of forming an > Acclimatisation has been ■ before the diffe-ent Societies in the ■ colony, and in January list a meeting of d-legates form the different Societies was h 11 in Wellington and after c:a- . sideruble d'scussion an Assooiatioa was ' f-»roe.! with its headquarters in Wellington, and its obj-cts to be 1. To further acclimatisation and improve tha management of acclimatisation matter* throughout New Zealand. 2. To do whatever may be deemed expedient or necessary for fostering and encouraging acclimatisaion matters in New Zealand through the Societies. 3. To represent an! fur her the wishes of tbe various Acclimatisation SocietirP. 4. To assist the New Zealand G> v.irnmeat in framing at d pasting legislation for the furtherance of acclimatisation wot k. The subscriptions were fix<-d at £4 4s each for the foar Metropolitan S cieties and £2 2s each for all other Societies. A . formal resolution was passed by your committee joining tbe Ass- ciation. Po.ohing.-Your crnmittee regret that laudowne'S who are the people mo»t interested in the suptr e<>ion of poaching, display such indiff renoe in he mattai ; for the Socio y can do little without their support. In conclusion, w« have to thank friends and members for esaietaoc* in the past snd we hope for continuance f thi sime in tbe future. BALANCE SHIBT. The Balauce-t-heet, as audittd by Mr P. 8. Whi'comb*, was as follows : RECEIPTS. £ t. d. fi i. <L To Bala-oe SS3 4 4 'o Sliojting Licantei 174 10 S "oKihi.gUoeMei... 15 17 6 Co Sa'e of 1 irdi ... 18 0 yi'h- £ %. i. B ad, Well ngton Soolety 51 6 0 Kx, ensesLiberatlDg 711 6 Fl*h Poedi 85 14 It Fi.h Food .„ „■ 117 0

Fish Graters k Net lb 6 Legal Expenses ... 17 2 Birds—Feed for Wild Docks ... „. 5 0 0 Expenses Delegate to Wei ton Voo'e enoe 10 0 0 H.Z. 4otlim. Societies . Also and XxclMDge 22 6 *' AcUeni-ing 24 7 9 Hawks' k bhags' Feet 2 0 0 Secretary 25 0 0 rVtty Expenses ... 2 8 6 Balance 286 5 11 £424 IS 9 In moving the adoption of the report Mr Newman referred with pleasure to the favorable state of affjira disclosed. It waß intended to take the opinion cf the meeting regarding having a close season next year. They bad been approached in connection with the establishment of agime farm, but he did not think anything would be done immediately. He wan glad to report that the fish ponds established during the year bad been a great Bucc?s», and some hundreds of young fish had been transferred to streams in the district. Mr Paul seconded the adoption of the report, Mr Bewl.y, in supporting the motion, referring to the fish ponds, said a word cf praise was due to Mr Day in connection therewith, Spmkiog of the brown and rainbow trout, Mr Bewley advocated confining their attention to the latter as the beat suited to the rivers. The secretary referred to the question of siwdust in the streams, but after considerable discussion the fueling appeared.to be to BtocJrthosa streams .on which there was no mils, kaving the others till the sawdast nuisance was '* abated. The report and balance-sheet were then adopted. The following officers were then elected : —President, Mr W. L. Newman ; secretary and treasurer, Mr D. McAllum; conrmittee, Messrs Paul, ~ New]ind, Bewley, Gibson, Allsworth, and Wil>-on. A motion by Mr Paul, th*t it be a suggestion to the Colonial S cre'ary that 1994 be a closo year, was carried. The Stratford and Hawera Societies are to be asked to co-operate. The Chairman asked for an expression of opinion as to the importation of deer. He feared, however, that owiog to the thickly settled district deer might become a nuisance. Mr Allsworth mentioned that Mr" Donne, Tourist Traffic Manager, had advised turning out deer on the moss line above the mountain house. Mr Cor kill considered that the draw- ■ back to the previous turn-out of desr was that the animals ware bucket fed, and became eo tame that they were a ' . nuisance to the settlers. Mr Grayling said there was no -reason why deer should not do well on ' the upper part of the range', but they r most be wild deer. He was sure that ' the Wairarapa Society would give all ' the information in their power on the question. The Secretary said that Mr Grayling ' and himstlf had worked the matter out and that the cost for seven head would bo about £175, but as against that several £5 notes had been promised, Mr Allsworth suggested asking the Siratfordand Hawera Societies their opinion on the question. If they were favourable then their assistance could be requested and the committee could prceeed in the matter, but if they were'strongly opposed it was no use going en ' with.the project.—This course was,' adopted. j ! Mr F. McAUum suggested the ' Bociety should import Englith or Scotch 1' ■ black game, as the country from here!. to Palmerston was well adapted for j th c se birds. He also suggested im- * porting blackwings as they afforded j l sportsmen a good test of their skill, j' Another species of birds * hat would do i l well was the Eoglish wood pigeon ' £ which, as the colonial pigeon was fas* disappearing, would replace them. ' With regard to fish, he recommended . ( introducing grayling, as they afforded; 1 exce'lent sport—being game to the'last—and were extrraely delicate eat-) ing, and provided sport in winter. He J suggested tint some grayling should be obtained and placed in the Henui. 1' The Chairman alluded to the scheme for a game farm which the Wellington Society had promulgated and to which * other Societies contributed. 1 Toe S?cre'ary said the scheme in question was really initiated by the - chairman. An officer had been sent Home and ha brought out two kinds of < dusks and some partridges, but they. 1 arrived in such poor condition that j - there had been no further trase of! them. The pheasant rearing, however,' l was doing well and he hoped to see ail exchange of birds between Wellington and Taranaki. Mr Paul considered that if next season were made a close one it would bean excellent time for turning out new birds. He quite agreed with tbe suggested importation of wood pigaons which, he wis sure, would do well. A discussion then took place on the < respective merits of brown and rainbow | trout, the former, it was stated by the \ Secretary, had becjme so sluggish as to' afford no sport. Mr Bewley strongly | advocated get ing no further brown j trout and the Chairman concurred. i Mr Wilson urged that as many rainbow trout as possible should be put in the Waiwakaiho so as to have at least one river that would attract touring' ang'ers. i After a fe* further remarks tbe' meeting cl sed with the usual vote of thanks to the chairman. ===== |l