MASTERTON FISH HATCHERY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8445, 18 May 1907, Page 5

MASTERTON FISH HATCHERY.

INTERVIEW WITH THE LOCAL SECRETARY. AN INTERESTING STATEMENT. CERTAIN ALLEGATIONS COMPLETELY REFUTED. In view of the surprising allegations that have been made against the administration of the Masterton Sub-committee of the Wellington Acclimatization Society in connection with the local Fish Hatchery, yesterday a representative of the Wairarapa Age interviewed the Honorary Secretary of the Masterton Sub-committee, and obtained from him an interesting statement bearing, practically, on the whole position. In reply to a question [ the Secretary said:— ."The report extracted from the Post, and published in your issue, this morning, is certainly to my mind calculated to convey a wrong impression. To begin with, Mr L. G. Reid is reported to have ■said that 'when the Society took control the expenditure would be greatly reduced.' This may well be interpreted to mean that the Council in Wellington will in the future manage the ponds more economically than has been the case for the past six years under the Masterton Sub-com-mittee, and imputes, I take it, undue extravagance to the latter body. , While the work of river-netting and keeping breeding fish continued it was necessary that there should be some local control for the work was arduous and a fair sum of money was annually involved in management. Under the scheme formulated by the Masterton Sub-committee in a report to the Council on April 25th last, and adopted in every detail by the Council the work and expenditure will be greatly reduced, and the members of the Sub-committee themselves suggested that control under the new scheme could in future be exercised in Wellington. Prior to 15)01, and subsequently to the resignation of Mr L. F. Ayson, as curator, the hatchery under the control of the Council in Wellington was for several years l a complete failure. I may add that some two years ago the Malterton Sub-committee suggested, at the instance of the curator, a modification of the scheme now adopted, but the Council did not take the suggestion, fearing that the Government would be unable to permanently supply ova." "Tf»ere has been an increase in the cost of management?" queried the pressman. "Yes. but the cost of management has unavoidably increased during past years. In the first place the rent of the ground has increased. The plant, buildings, ?tc, required renewing, and shortly after a new lease had been taken by the Society, some four years ago, the Borough Council carried a proposal to rate on unimproved values, which raised the rates payable by tiie Society to some £4O per annum. In this connection it seems really a pity that .the local body should not have assisted a work of value to the town by a remission of rates. The cost of labour has also increased, while each year it has become more and more difficult to obtain wild fish for spawning purposes." "What about the figures quoted at the meeting?" "The figures quoted by r a Mr J. G. Smith, if he is reported correctly, are utterly unreliable, and show that he had given the matter very little consideration. I quote figures to show the operations'at the hatchery since the Masterton Sub-committ"e took control in 1901. They are as follow:

Revenue, including allowance at market v rates for fish and fry Expenditure. liberated. 1902—£705 £276 1903—£953 £1,179 1904—£958 £1,090 1905 £849 £1,340 1906—£916 £845 1907.—As the published balancesheet for this year has not reached me, I will not quote figures, but I can say that the operations showed a substantial profit and the expenditure a large decrease. The above figures are taken from the annual reports of the Society, and prove that the hatchery has been more than self-supporting. Mr Smith, in his estimates, allowed nothing for the cost of hatching and rearing fry, mortality, cost of distribution, or the fact that until quite recently the Government did not supply ova. Neither did he allow one penny for the value of fry and fish liberated, the primary object for which the hatchery existed." Asked to express a general opinion on the work of the Society, the Secretary said:— "I would rather not at present express an opinion as to whether good work is being done in rearing fry and feathered game for liberation, but all license-hold-ers in the district know well that unless something is done to protect the fish the sport will soon become a lost art. Of imported game there are none, and the native birds are being indiscriminately slaughtered 4n and out of season." "Do you consider that ponds can be more successfully worked at the Hutt?" questioned the reporter. "Whether ponds at the Hutt or elsewhere can be worked more advantageously remains to be proved, but most certainly Masterton possesses the finest supply of spring water for hatching purposes to be found in the province, nor can a more central spot for carrying on operations be found; the length of journey for carriage of fry by train is an all-impor-tant matter." "There is, of course, the "' disease trouble in connection with the fish at the Masterton Hatchery?" "The disease amongst the fish at the hatchery has been made a great deal too much of. The disease appears in the gills, and is common wherever fish are kept confined in ponds in large numbers. It appears only in the stock fish, and has never been discovered in fry or fingerlings."