ACCLIMATISATION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 386, 11 May 1910, Page 3

ACCLIMATISATION.

THE TARANAKI SOCIETY. The Taranaki Acclimatisation Society's annual meeting, which was to have been held last night, has been adjourned. The following comprehensive reports is to be presented:—

37th ANNUAL REPORT. Your council beg to submit to you the 37th annual report and balance-sheet for the year ended 31st March, 1910.

The council met on six occasions since its election in July last, and the attendance of its members lias been good. Finance.—'On referring to the balancesheet it will be observed the revenue for the year was £77 7s 3, and this added to last* years' balance gives £175. The expenditure was £164 16s lOd, leaving, a balance of £lO 3s 2d to carry forward. Pisciculture.—The balance oi the rish in the ponds at Pukekura Park were,! during the months of May, July, and, August, liberated in the rivers at Oakura (1500); Warea (225); Kapoaia-a ; at Pungarehu (220) r Okahu at Rahotu (230); and Waiaua at Opunake (035); on the Coast, and the Waiwakaiho (1240); Kaiauai (1100); and the Mangamawliete (1250) inland; the whole of the fish being splendid specimens of •both brown and rainbow trout and totaling some 6400 fish, and better fish Mr. McAllum states he never handled. Acting on the suggestion made at the last annual meeting, your council, after making arrangements with the Pukekura Park Board, built four new ponds for rearing the fry, and supplied the! water to them from the race :by means of a flume supported on trestles giving a fall of from 7 to 8 feet into each tank.l As soon as these .alterations and adcti-j tions had been completed some 40,0001 brow2i and rainbow trout fry werej placed in the ponds, and for the lirst time since the Society started these ponds for rearing, the young fry did not turn out at all satisfactory. The phenomenally hot and muggy weather which the whole district experienced militated against the fish thriving. The continued dry weather caused the water to foul in a remarkable manner, and the result was disastrous to the young fish, thousands of 'which died before they, could be placed in the Waiwaikaiho river. | Your council received an application from Tariki for the establishment of a rearing ipond for young fry, and de-' cided upon having one built. This was done under the supervision of Mr. C. F. Young, and on its being completed was stocked with 10,000 brown and rainbow fry, Mr. Harkness undertaking to look after the "inner wants" of the youngsters. The experiment has proved to be eminently satisfactory, the fry growing; strongly, so that a grand lot of fish have 1 been (and still are being) placed in tne rivers in the vicinity. The Inglewood people, not to be left ibehind in rh<> interests' of -true sport, iilso applied for a pond, and a suitable site near the Bacon Factory on the Waiongona river having been obtained, the pond was built and stocked with 10,000 .brown and rainbow trout fry. The fry grew , ana thrived splendidly, until on one unfortunate day, during the hot, muggy weather already mentioned, the prepared food for the fry became tainted and was inadvertently fed to the youngsters, the, result being disastrous, only some three dozen fish escaping Experientia docet. Your council recognising the value of these rearing ponds, are- arranging to have 'others built' at Warea, Sentry Hill, Leppcrton and elsewhere, as funds will permit. Your couscil have taken the initial steps for the building of. a fish hatchery, and have obtained a plan and prices from Mr. F. Messenger, who was assisted by Mr. W'iggs, and the thanks of the Society are due to these gentlemen for their services. The cost of establishing the hatchery is more than your, council consider it advisable for the Society to undertake at present, but as soon as funds will justify the expenditure it will be put in hand. The mortality among the young fish has raised a doubt as to whether the water from the Pukekura Park lake is altogether suitable for our purpose. An analysis of the water, taken at the time of the storm at the end of March, is being made and, if necessary, the'incoming Council will have to deal with the question of another source • of water supply. Two convictions were obtained during the year for breaches, of the Fisheries Act 1908. One for dynamiting and one for spearing trout. Game. —One of the first steps taken by your council was to try and procure a good ! head of game, and it arranged with several settlers to breed pheasants. Assisted in exchanging hen .birds, for the infusion of new blood, but has yet to | learn with what success. By Act this I year 1910 is a close season for native and imported game, but your council, taking into consideration the reported in crease of game, particularly Californian quail, from the different district under control of the Society, petitioned tne Government for an open season as far as imported game was concerned. After further applications from other societies had been made, the Government granted the petitions .for one month, dating from the 14th day of May until the 14th day of June, both days inclusive. A number of rangers have been appointed, anil 1 that, combined with extra interest evinced 'by members of the Society in the different centres in game preservation, will help considerably to keep down poaching. Opossums.—ißeports about these valuable animals show they are continuing to increase steadily, and should in the near future prove a source of income to settlers. The President, on the invitation of some gentlemen interested in the Society, was present at well attended meetings at Tariki and Inglewood, and the Society is to be congratulated upon the greater interest which is toeing taken in this Society's work in 'The country centres. Your Council hopes that other centres will follow the lead of the places mentioned and set up committees to assist the council with advice as to local needs, and also to act as a check on poaching. The Council wishes it to be generally known that its members are at all times ready and anxious to meet fanners and others interested in acclimatisation matters at their own centres, and to afford any information as to the Society's olvjects and intentions in their power. Your Council is satisfied the establishment of committees in the country centres will be of invaluable assistance in popularising the Society. During the year the Rules of the Society have been revised and brought up to date, and an application has been forwarded to the Minister of Internal Affairs for the registration of the Society under the Animals Protection Act 11)08. Membership of the Society can only be attained by an application in writing and on payment of an annual subscription of five shillings, or taking out a license to shoot game or catch fish. It is hoped that townspeople

and others will recognise the gratuitous work that h:\s been carried on tor many years and assist the Society by becoming members. Want of funds is seriously hampering the extension of the Society's operations, and your council is quite satisfied that with money available for its purposes, both game and fish caii be reared and liberated in such quantities as to make the district very attractive to sportsmen from outside. The special thanks of the Society are due to the Pukekura Park Board lor facilities granted for setting up new rearing ponds, and permission to erect a fish 'hatchery; to the Inglewood Bacon Factory Company at Inglewood, and to Mr. Vaughan Harkness at Tariki for allowing us sites for rearing ponds, and to those gentlemen who have assisted in erecting the ponds and have undertaken the feeding and liberation of the young fish.

In conclusion ypur Council may .point out the value of local committees in the increased good fishing in the rivers in their districts, such as the Manganui, Mangamawhete and Waiana, but specially the Waiwakaiho, from which some splendid specimens of the brown and rainbow trout have been taken; brown trout up to 101b. and rainbow up to 91b. Several anglers have taken out of the Waiwakaiho river 80 iijh averaging slightly over 31b. each, which is a marvellous record.