TROUT FISHING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 211, 11 October 1909, Page 4

TROUT FISHING.

To the Editor.

To the Editor. Sir,—! liiive no wls.lt. nor do I intend, to be drawn into a newspaper controversy: suffice it to say your Warea correspondent lias been hibernating theve last few years. My object in writing my former letter was to call the attention of the public to the fact of the society beiajr anxious to helji them who help themselves His onlv tlie work of the "willing few." work done in i (j'uiet, unostentatious manner, which I' -m-fits the .multitude, and this purlieula:ly refers to acclimatisation matters. The lime spent (prohablv six months.! not move\ in looking after ihe young 1 fry in rearing pond*\ would lip lime well and profitably spent. dust one more word, Mr. Editor, and 1 am finished. Your Warea correspondent is very unjust in vaisiug the town and country cry. The close on Cl2 which lie "•ays has conic from his district these last four years j>ans out at three licenses each seaswn. and the society during the same period lias liberated (not duinpedl tlsh worth over .£IOO in the rivers in I his immediate vicinity. Tf those fish are lint now in evidence the reason is nol far to seek—the streams must be poached. and it rests with the lishermen to put down the poachers.—l am, ote., DUXCAX Mc.UJAJM. Sec. T. A. Society.

As one who takes an active interest in acclimatisation matters <and also a representative (if that society, kindly allow me to reply to the letter signed "Warea Correspondent."' In reference to Hie statement that country rivers are not receiving justice in fln> liheration of trout, I woiiM respectfully point out this statement. is not supported by Diet number of licenses issued in country districts, there bein<; no less than Si) per cent of the license* issued to country anglers. Moreover, within my own knowledge the secretary (Mr. MeAllum) has within the last three or four years, liberated several splendid lots of trout, iu the coa.sUil streams, and with fair treatment those rivers should he well stocked at the present time. The So-, cielv is constantly hearing of the deprc-, datioiis caused l»y poachers well known 1 hv anglers and others iu (hose districts, j and if license-holders who take an In-: tere.-.'t in fishing will not do auy tliinpr to support the society in the preservation of their tish. then there can only lie <)ii(> result, and that is to -place the fish where they will he reasonably safe from the poacher. It is the earnest desire of the societies Taranaki to see every >tream that surrounds Mount productive of the finest in New Zealand, ami with that object in view, and as was explained in Mr. McAllum's letter, the society lias initiated a syiem nf rearing ponds in all districts lltaf pare to- rear their own lUh. This -Astem has already been heartily taken up by several country districts, and il is regrettable that the old cry nf town versus country should be raised by fho-e who will not help themselves; and, furthermore, it is a «jross libel «m those who unsolfishlv devote their time to acclimiiti-'ation matter* in general.- -