Taranaki Acclimatisation Society.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 94, 25 April 1904, Page 2

Taranaki Acclimatisation Society.

ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of the Taranaki Acclimatisation Society was held in the Town llnll on Saturday. There were about twenty men.'bers present, the president, Mr W, Newman occupying the chair. The annual report was read as follows : Your committee have much pleasure in presenting the thirty-first annual report, for the year ending the 31st March, 1004, and congratulate the members on the result of the i works done.

—Finance.— On referring to the balance-sheet it will be observed the revenue for the year was £142 <Js lid, showing a large decrease in shooting licenses, .but. an encouraging increase of over ,100 per. cent in iis'liing licenses, which, added to last year's balance, gives a total of £-108 15s lOtt. The expenditure has been greater than usual, viz., £323 (is 9d, but this is accounted for by the making of new lisli ponds, and refunding the Government a sum of £6(> (is, which amount had been overpaid to the society's account, thus leaving a balance of £BS 9s Id to start the new year, —Pisciculture.— The balance of the 1902 rainbow U'out left in the ponds were liberated in different parts of the Waiwakaiho river, some of the fish being as much as 12 inches in length ; and after the old ponds had been cleaned out a fresh consignment of 25,000 rainbow trout and 3000 brown trout fry were received from the Mnsterton fish 'hatcheries and placed in the ponds, and some 7000 of the rainbows have already been liberated in the Waiwakaiho river at and near the Junction road bridge, and at different places some two or three miles up the IC'aianai stream, a tributary of the Waiwakaiho. The'balance will l>e placed in the lower parts of the river nffid the brown trout in the Oakura and Timaru streams. A good many young fry escaped into the small lake, known as the "Lily Poml," and It was discovered that a leak had taken place in tile walls of one of the ponds allowing eels to enter freely;. It will therefore be necessary to concrete the sides and bottoms of the ponds to get better results. It is expected that a fish ladder will shortly be placed at the dam in the Waiwakaiho river to enable fish to run up stream, a goodly number having been seen making an attempt to surmount the difficulty but always comIng to grief at the board placed at the head of the dam to deepen the water. Your committee have to report that the fish continue to increase in the Waiwakaiho river and a number of flsTi ranging from lslbs to lllbs in weight have been taken during the season ; and a number of smaller fish also caught were returned to the water. Three fine bi-pwn trout, two weighing 91bs each, and one lllbs, were taken, but it Is not expected these fish will Increase, as the rainbows generally clear all other fish out of the waters they inhabit. The Oakura and Timaru rivers have proved to be fish bearing, several fish ranging from J-Jibs to 14 lbs having been caught. We understand good baskets have been taken in the other rivers, and though the fishing licenses had been Increased to £1 for the season the number of licenses increased over 100 per cent, and it is expected this will again be largely increased next season.

—Game.— According to instructions received from last annual meeting your committee placed itself in communication with kindred societies for the purpose of obtaining united action in having a close season for imported game, and the result is the four societies, viz., Wanganui, Bawera, Stratford and Taranaki have agreed to petition tiho Government to declare. a ciose season for the various districts. Pheasants from some parts of the district are reported as being fairly plentiful, but from the greater portion of the district the reports are that birds are very scarce. California!! ifuail are plentiful in all parts, but the Virginian cpiail seem to have disappeared. It is reported from the Koru district that during tho latter part of November or curly in December a covey of partridges had been seen, and indeed one had' been killed by a luowiMg machine passing over a nest. The Government imported a number of game birds into the colony during the early part of the year, and the secretary, who was in Wellington at. the time of the arrival of the consignment, interviewed Mr Ay son, the Government expert, in whose hands they had been placed, with a result that ho -brought twelve pheasants and four widgeon back with him, tho former lwing looked after on Mr McAllum's land and the latter, after being pinioned, were liberated in the large lake at the Kecreatron Ground, —lied Deer.—

Your committee communicated with the Hawera and Stratford societies re the introduction of red deer into the district round the mountain and ranges, and whilst the Hawera Society was willing and anxious to cooperate the Stratford Society declined to have anything to <lc with the mutter. The result of correspondence is that this society has bespoken l'ou'' head of red (leer from the Wellington society. —Opposums.—

Since the last meeting of the society it has been reported tlmt several young animals have been seen evidently the offspring of the opossums liberated some years ago on Mr E. Vickers' farm at l'nglewood, and the thanks of this society are due to Mr Vickers for the care he has taken in preserving them. In conclusion we would earnestly request ull landowners, farmers and others who are interested in preserving game and lish to assist the society in e\ cry way in putting down poaching.—-D. McAllum, secretary. Tho president, in moving the adoption of the report and balancesheet, remarked that notwithstanding tho fact that the secretary had written in January last, and had since communicated several times with the Colonial Secretary, it was only a few gays ago that the information was received that the season would lw declared a close one for imported game, lie also touched on the outbreak, of cancer among trout in captivity, and said lie was. anxiously awaiting further developments. Mr Paul seconded.

11l answer to n qliestion by Mr Murton, the chairman said as vet the close season had not been gazetted. Mr Samuel suggested that the secretary should again communicate with the Colonial Secretary 011 the subject. Mr Murton pointed out that without gazetting there could no close seasons and no prosecutions. Mr liewley 'deprecated the short notico 'given in this matte. IJc* spoke as an old sportsman and ielt very strongly 011 the mnlter. It was unfair to sportsmen, unfair lo those tradesmen who had stocked their requisites, and unfair in 1 tie present, financial prospects of the society. He did not, think the season would 'be a close one, us poo. pie in the feack'Uloeks would have i no hesitation in continuing to shoot game, and tin.* society was not in a position to employ rangers. The country people should htw'e been consulted and duly notified. Mr Samuel was surprised. last annual mevting this m«Ue(. had been discussed and decided upon, and Mr llewle.v had been j>W sent and allowed the motion t' through without, dissent, J go Mr Bewley said that farr not given notice of tllf • 10 , rs were had bc-en present, he ' - su -"bJcct. Ho since forgiotteil ul' "new, but had lulloll. nljjout the resoMr Samup* . should ha-" 0 ' llewley last or- 1 s ol) iection at XlflZ fr ting ' or ttt «»y rate inp tt, ? n somo action (}urW, the year that had since claps-

Mr Bewley said ho had no knowledge that the matter was to be decided at last meeting, and supposed there were may others in the same predicament. Mr Samuel said it would be a pity to stultify the efforts of the Council now tyy asking that this season should now be opened for shooting imported game. Why he spoke so strongly was that this was a itsson for members of the society. At an annual meeting they unanimously decided on a course and ihe Council carried out its recommendations. It was most reprehensible that n year later one of those members should say that ho was surprised !to hear that such an action had been canWmpTatcd. llow could this society now talke any steps to alter the decision previously arrived at ? Stratford, Jlawera, and Wanganui Societies had been consulted, and joined in the movement, and now because of a little temporary inconvenience local members were turning round and craving an open season.

Mr Bewley said ho was not turning round. He had opposed the movement last year. Mr Samuel said he did not pretend to know whether or not a close season was desirable, hut at any rate the action taken by Lhe executive was In the interests of •sportsmen. If there were no shooting this year it would be all tlio better next season. Mr Murlon had no complaint against the Society but against the Government for its dilatoriness in agreeing to the re*j.'ueyt of the Society. It was not fair to sportsmen that they should be allowed to purchase their arms and ammunition when they were to be prevented from doing any shooting, and it was also unfair to the dealers who had laid in their stocks of sporting requisites, and then found out that ia 11 this was dead stock, .and not convertible into ca'ni) until next 'yen. He knew many .sportsmen who had made provision for this shooting seascn, and all dealers were heavily stocked. He considered that seven months' notice should be given of a close season, as it took aiblout that time to import ammunition and other requisites.

Mr Paul remarket! thut he felt a goocl (leal of sympathy for tho dealers, hut would not blame the Society. This matter of securing a close season had come up at every general meeting! for (years past, and eventually 1904 was decided on us it was a statutory close season for native game. He considered the executive had done their best in tho interests of the sporting community, but their efforts had been somewhat stultified by the failure of tile Government to gazette the notice ol sanctuary for imported game. Mr Bewley again complained of the want of publicity given to 1 his matter. It was impossible for inom'l.lers to recollect, everything that occurred at annual general meetings, and considered that the Council should have done something to remind sportsmen and others of the decision in regard to [this matter. The! whole of this matter had been arranged by u numhefof town members, without reference to the people in the country, and Ihe understood there Was absolutely no necessity for declaring this season a close one. There was plenty of game. Mr I'aul said the country mem bers were to blame. They had been nlafliilied of the gtonqral meetings, and they had been asked and pray».d to attend in order that they mig|ht igivo some information as to the <i(uantity of game about.

Mr Bewley : That is only of recent years. It is only a little while ago since we allowed license-hold-ers in the country to he members of the society. Mr Okey thought the principle, wrong. The annual meeting was not the place to decide on a close season, hut at the end of the season a meeting- of members should be held, and then there would be soma data to work upon. But there was nothing whateviT to do now but to go ahead. This season must be closed. The president pointed that the Society was not alone in deciding to hove a close season. Stratford Hawera, and Wanganui had been of the same opinion, and all these societies simultaneously approached the Government on- the subject. Mr Murton asked if this had been gazetted u close season for native game. The chairman explained that the Act of l'arHameiit. provided for a close season every fourth year. The chairman, replying to an Inference that the president and seeret ary hud' acted wrongly in this matter by taking it into their own hands, said that the annual meeting was so deiinite in its instructions that, he had never anticipated any objection. Mr Bewley said he would be sorry to infer that the president or secretary had done anything wrong. All ho complained of was the want of publicity. Mr Allsworth stated that that objection could never have been raised if tho Council had been called together. There had been no meeting of tire Council for two years. Liko Mr Bewley, he had forgotten all ajbout this matter, but considered they were in honour hound to preserve a close season to keep faith witli the adjoining societies. With regnnl to the dealers, they might sufl'er inconvenience, but no loss.

Mr Murton thought the close sei> son should have been gazetted after last meeting. Mr Paul said they were in the hands of the Government. If the society declared a close season, and dealers acted 011 that, and then the Government, refused to sanction the closing, where would they be in regard to ammunition then ? The report and balance-sheet, (pulv lished in ainulther part of this paper) were then adopted. Oflicers were elected as follows : President, Mr W. Newman (re-elec-ted) ; secretary and treasurer, Mill. McAlluin (re-elected) ; Council, tho President, and Messrs .J. Paul, J. E. Wilson, VV. Bewley, J. Gibson, H. Newland, E. G. Allsworth. Mr Samuel moved that a lelegfam be sent to tho Colonial Secretary pointings out the great inconvenience caused by the delay in declaring the closing of the season ; and that he be written to suggesting that close seasons should be gazetted by Novciutor. Mr Murton seconded.

Mr Okey thought tho Act might be amended so that a close season for imported game should b<j provided every fouMli year. Tho motion was 'carried. In answer to Mr Bewley the secretary shafted that application had W»v>n made tio lia.ve stopped this year for three months. Mr Bewley thought that all streams around New Plymouth should be stocked with rainbow trout, and cease stocking rivers with l.v-own trout. He instanced tlu great success of the rainbovr trout in the Widwak-aiho. The secretary stated that some good brown trout, up to 01b in weight had born caught in the \\ix\wakaiho. Mr Gibson seated that the i'l),o\v trout placed in the \Vn{<nigw,fl had not bwn seen since. Mr Bewley said the Y"iivbp\v M'HWt were warm water fish, ami be placed near the sea. He y -d ed to then success at ftvJir' . ointTho secretary stftieti .rua. mini tow gjavo Xb' the Votes of \o j liiest sport, the pbtylrmqft W le officers and cepdings. • miimted the pro-