AN ACCLIMATIZATION SOCIETY.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume I, Issue 17, 27 April 1867, Page 3

AN ACCLIMATIZATION SOCIETY.

(To the Editor of the Wairarapa Mercury.)

Greytown, April 23, 1867,

Sir, —Two years ago one of the members of the Wairarapa proposed in the Council that £250 should be placed on the Estimates for the purpose of introducing into the Province of Wellington, “ birds, beasts and fishes, with a view to their acclimatization.” It was unanimously carried, and had the earnest support of Mr Ludlam, but from that time to the meeting of the next Council, it remained a dead letter, when Mr Ludlam in his place enquired what had been done to further the resolution of the Council, and to carry it into effect? The reply was that £IOO had been given, or intended to be given to an Acclimatization Society at Wanganui, and that for the remainder instructions had been sent to the “ lucky contractor ” alias the “ Provincial Engineer,” alias, “ the Patent Slip man,” to send out some birds from England in furtherance of the desire of the Council. Why this omnipotent individual, this Jack of all trades, should have been selected, the Council was not informed, nor has it ever transpired that this celebrated individual was ever a “ bird fancier ” among his other qualifications. The consequence of Mr Ludlam’s enquiry was, that after a time, some birds did arrive, but as might be expected from a man who had the foundations of a “ Slip ” to look after, and these foundations too of an unstable and slippery character, the birds that were sent out by no means answered the purpose of the resolution of the Council, nor of the views of the members who advocated their introduction. For instance, among the birds that arrived were “silver pheasants,” a more useless bird could not have been paid for and sent out, because the object was not to provide gentlemen’s avaries with beautiful birds for the gratification of the eye, but with such only as would be useful to the Province at large. There were common pheasants also, these could have been obtained in the Colony of New Zealand, therefore they need not have been sent. This the lucky contractor with his universal genius was aware of, and I am told that he has some at his own farm in the Wairarapa which' are increasing. With the exception of these the birds that arrived might have been purchased in England for £5. I, ns well as your readers, am of course ignorant what birds were sent from England, but it is certain that very few arrived in this Province. I trust that some member of the Council will move for such a return or correspondence, as will throw some light upon the matter, that we may see if the Executive have carried the Council’s wishes into effect. I consider the mode of getting rid of the birds that arrived as most objectionable, that of being sold by auction, when the intention of the vote was to procure animals that might be distributed for the benefit of the Province. No doubt the Council’s vote should have been followed up by the formation of an Acclimatization Society in Wellington, or the Hutt, or the Wairarapa, which might have given such suggestions to the Provincial Government as might' have been necessary, and also have taken care of any animals that might have arrived until they could be acclimatized and best distributed. What with gas pipes, patent slips, reclaimed land, and amalgamation Societies, there may be some excuse for the neglect of “birds, beasts and fishes,” but with country people these potent Town questions cannot interfere, and they are more immediately interested in their introduction. Wanganui however has an Association, and by it they shew their good taste, and good sense. But lately I saw that a covey of quail in that part of the Province had been seen, the result of the Society’s endeavours, and I have often seen an advertisement offering a reward for the introduction of the Australian cod-fish. This is all right, but I had rather have seen a reward offered for the introduction of salmon or trout, for which sea rivers are apparently so well adapted. I -seldom see a paper from other Provinces, but some allusion is made to their Acclimatization Societies, what they have done, and what they intend to do, and that grants of money have been placed at their disposal. So there should be here. Verily, -the people of Wellington have not got quite out of the “ sleepy hollow ” the Colossus of Rhodes alluded to some months .ago. I saw the other day that ganui from some of the lakes on that coast. Has the Wairarapa no lake that such a bird could be placed on ? Are country gentlemen so forgetful of a future that it is not worth while to introduce quail from Australia? Can they forget old habits and associations so ranch, as to leave the future to provide for iteelf? However, what I intended in the commencement of tins letter, was not to show what amusements may be provided by grants of money, but what is yearly becoming more and more a necessitiL It was nunn this ground that Mr Ludlam advocated the grant, and there is no man in the Province better able to judge of the wants of agriculturists and horticulturists.

I believe that the caterpillar has been more destructive this year than ever known before in the Wairarapa, and if their destructiveness proceed at the same rate annually, there will be some considerable difficulty " in growing crops with a profit. My garden produce has been assailed bv insects at a tremendous rate, and the comnlaint is general. What is the remedy? Will it come to us without effort, and without expense ? I need not point out what kind of birds we require, but sparrows and the finches we shall be compelled to have, and our English warblers all will hail with

pleasure and old recollections. Sir, I hope one of our Wairarapa members will enquire what money has been expended already for this purpose, and if all expended, which I doubt, will move for a sum to be placed upon the Estimates that we may have some birds, beasts and fishes from the old country. Would not a few ferrets be of great service ? The rats and mice are getting very troublesome and destructive. I recollect when a boy we used to ferret our barns occasionally, and good sport it was too. In conclusion,' I hope for your advocacy of this matter, and it will benefit the district, I am, your's &c., ROBIN REDBREAST. P.S.—I think we should find the benefit of rooks, crows, magpies and owls, they are all destroj'ers of grubs, insects, mice, fkc. How is it that people do not fraternise the terrier, the true ratter ?