ACCLIMITISATION SOCIETY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2404, 20 September 1886, Page 2

ACCLIMITISATION SOCIETY.

The annual meeting of the members of the Wellington and Wairarapa Society was held at the Museum last Friday. His Excellency the Governor presided, and there were about a score of gentlemen present.

The Hun Secretary, (Mr A J. Rutherford) read the second annual report of tho Council, which congratulated the members upon tho progress mado. A sum of £173 has been subscribed in direct donations, and the license fees had greatly increased, The revenue for the past year was £6lB Is lid, and the expenditure, £453 0s lid, leaving a credit balance of £155 Is. Shooting license fees amounted to £l7O, being an increase of £7O, and fishing licenses to £SB 12s fid, £l6 of which came from Masterton. The Council suggested that means should be devised for protecting game in tho Hutt and Horowheiiua counties. While poisoned grain was used in the Wairarapa and other districts to destroy rabbits, and ferrets, stoats and weasels are liberated without check, it seems worse than useless to preserve or import game. Allusion was made to the useful amendment of the Animal Protection Act passed last session, rendering it unnecessary in proceeding against poachers to prove the importation of game into any district, Correspondence with America had taken place with reference to importing the sand grouse, bustard, and other valuable birds, but on account of tho expense and the absence of a guarantee that the birds could be obtained, nothing definite had resulted. The Council hoped the settlors of the Hutt and Horowheiiua Counties wcmld assist to keep down tho number of hawks and cats with which those districts abounded. The thanks of the Society were due to the sons of Mr Jenkins, of Otaki, for having killed over a hundred hawks, besides cats and shags; also to other settlers for destroying vermin in districts where the rabbit pest had not spread Poaching had continued despite the appointment of one paid and several honorary rangers, and hares and pheasants had been shot and sold by unlicensed persons, against whom the Council intended to proceed under the amended Act. _ Tho Canterbury Society had kindly promised to supply this Society with a few nests of the humble bee, which was plentiful in the South, and was said to be useful in fertilising red clover. Hares wore reported to be numerous in the Hutt County, considerable bags having been mado last season, Last spring 'was a good breeding season for pheasants and quail. Considerable numbers of Californian quail were seen all over the Hott County, and in the Horowhenua County the small Australian quail have multiplied rapidly. Starlings have taken a firm hold in the province, and were doing an immense amount of good. The few ortolans brought out from the South of France and liberated at Otaki bred last year, and there was now a small flock. The Council regretted the decrease in native game, and thought measures would have to be adopted for their protection. With regard to pisiculture, the report says :

" During the past year numerous additions and improvements have been effected at the Masterton fish ponds, which will now bear favorable comparison with any other estabbshment of the kind in the colony. Five new ponds and several races have been made, and about twenty chains of paling and wire fiencing erected to keep cattle off the ground, while a number of valuable trees and shrubs, many of them kindly 'presented by residents, have been planted. Sinco last annual meeting about 19,400 fry of the Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) have been hatched, and the greater number of the fry liberated, while upwards of 63,000 brown trout have been sent, both as fry and yearlings, to different rivers. Last year L 57 was paid for ova from the South; this soason we have already about 17,000 brown trout fry at tho ponds from nva gathered, and expect to hatch out another 40,000 or 60,000. Next year there should be a considerable quantity

of ova for sale, In addition to this the Society must be congratulated on having a fine stock of several thousand fry of the Loch Leven trout and American brook, charr, hatchedfrornova from the two-year old parent stock,'at the ponds. It is proposed to increase the stock of these finer Varieties,""and gradually decrease the brown trout. The former curator has left, and m his place Mr Ayson has lately come up from the South Island to take charge of the ponds. A considerable amount of work is yet required to be done to keep pace with the requirements of a large breeding establishment. Your Council would recommend that improvements should go on steadily, in order that a great number of fry may be produced of valuable varieties of salmomdas, and the ponds may thus be enabled to become what your Council bolievo they eventually will be—the central fish hatchery of the North Island. The Government havo sent to America for the ova of the landlacked salmon, the rainbow or Califomian' trout, the white fish, and a fresh stock of ' the American brook char; alio to England for a further supply of Atlantic salmon, Your Council hope that the venture will bo 'successful. The Califomian trout (Salino irideus) would probably be an exceedingly valuable addition to the saltnonoids in our waters, as it stands a high temperature, is not destructive to its own kind, is a splendid food fish, and gives good sport.

. Salmon-The share of Mr S. C. Farr's shipment of salmon ova allotted to the Napier and Wellington Acclimatisation Societies hatched out very fairly, and as a result about 6300 fry were liberated in the hoad waters of the Manawatu, about 4600 fry in the Hutt, and 250 yearling salmon in the Ruamahanga. Mr Seagar, of the Silverstream, kept a number ot tho fry in a punt moored in the Hutt River, and lately liberated between 30 and 40 healthy parr from 4 to 8 inches long. The salmon ova presented by tho Government but of their shipment in the lonic has also hatchod out successfully, and given a result of upwards of 8000 fry, 6000 of which have been liberated in the Hutt watershed, the balance are in a large raco at the ponds awaiting distribution m other rivers, "Loch Leven and Sea Trout.—Unfortunately these line varieties of trout havo been mixed in the ponds, A, considerable number of ova have been obtained from the parent fish, and there are upwards of a thousand fry in tho boxes, most of which it is proposed to hold in the ponds. Several good fish have not spawned yet. If possible some more ova of tho sea trout should be imported. " American Brook Charr (Salvelmua Fontinalis),—These beautiful fish have thriven remarkably well and given a large quantity of ova, which, in spite of several mishaps. haß resulted in about 2500 fry being placed in a race, It is proposed to keep the bulk of them till they are yearlings, and to roplenißh tho stock of parent fish.

"Black Burn Trout.-There are 41 of these interesting little fish in one of the ponds, hatched from ova from Sir J, G. Maitland's hatchery at Howietown. It is proposed to hold them for parent stock. " Brown Trout.—Early in the year the Canterbury Asclimatisation Society sent about 20,000 trout fry, which was chiefly liberated in the Hutt. Since then a large uumbor of ova were purchased from the Dunedin and Lake Acclimatisation Societies, hatched out and successfully distributed. This season about 12,000 fry have been hatched from ova abtained at Wainui-o-mafca, while about 11,000 ova have been taken from a few of the parent fish at the ponds. The season had been a very late one, and as yet but few of the large fish have spawned. It is anticipated that another 50,000 ova will probably be taken at the ponds before the season closes.

" Coarse fish. fPorca fluviafcilis). —■ These fish have become very numerous in the Wellington Reservoir, and a number have been caught to stock different waters Out of 150 sent to'Auokland by the llinemoii, unfortunately only a few survived. Several lots have been placed in the lagoons in the \\ airarapa, and in dome lakes near Otaki, where they should soon increase and grow to a large size. It is proposed to continue to place them in suitable waters, due care' being exercised that these voracious tish aro not introduced where it is possible for them to escape into rivers suitable for Salmonidie. American Catfish (Amiurus Catus)—These fish were originally imported into Aucklanp from America in 1876, and they are now abundant in St. John's Lake and other waters, During last year Captain Fairchild brougli a few fish down to Dr. Hector, who liberated 30 in Mr Percy's pond at Petone. They are said to bo a harmless fish, fair eating, growing to a large size in unsuitable waters for Salnionidte, and easy of oapt-ire. •'" In conclusion, your Council wish to express their thanks to his Excellency the Governor, Ministers of the Crown, kindred Societies, the officers of the Government, the Union Steam Shipping Company, tho New Zealand and Shaw, Savill and Albion Shipping' Companios, tho Railway Department, and many others who have assisted the Society in prosecuting what they bolievo to bo a national undertaking."

Mr Loo. G. Reid, lion treasurer, having read the statement of accounts, the chief items of which are set out in the report above,

Dr Hector moved the adoption of the report and balance sheet. In doing so ho Baid there could bo no doubt that the affairs of the Society had been prosecuted in a v/gorous manner, and he believed tho results would be beneficial not only to this district but to the whole Colony. Major Campbell seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously. The election of officers was tho proceeded with, the only changes effected bein* the appointment of Major Jervois to a seat on the Council, vacated by Major Eecles, and the election of Mr John Holmes in place of his brother, Mill. Holmes, who would not bo able to attend the meetings on account of his visit to the Old Country. Captain Humphrey said tho thanks of tho Society were duo to the Council for their efficient management—Mr W. H. Beetham particularly, as managing director at Mastorton, had spared neither time nor money in his efforts to aid the Society, Mr Reid, the hon. treasurer, had also done his work efficiently, wlnlo the hon. secretary, Mr Rutherford, had proved himself the mainstay of the. Society. Mr W. H, Beetham, in acknowledging Captain Humphrey's compliment, said he looked forward to the time when they would be able to stock all tho rivers of the Colony with fish. He had been assured by Mr Whatman,, whose experience was most extensive, that the Wairarapa and other Wellington rivers were the finest for fish-breedin? in the world,

Mr A. de B. Brandon, jun,, on behalf of the Council, said the fishing regulations for tho coming year were the same as those adopted for last year, with a slight alteration as to the time fishing may take place, tho limit of last year having been withdrawn,

His Excellency the Governor said before the meeting terminated, he wished to say that it gavo him great pleasure in taking part in the society. Many people might regard what they were doing as a great benefit to those who were fond of fishing and shooting, but he did not regard it altogether from that point of view. He conceived it to be highly beneficial to the public generally as supplying a source of food to the

Colony, and looking to the future of New Zealand that was of some value politically. It would also bring poople to the Colony in search of sport from England and elaewhere ut in the same way that people were attracted to Switzerland in summer, and- to the fisheries of Norway. The money spent by' such visitors would be circulated throughout the country, and would do a great deal of good. He'hoped the Society would, go on and prosper, as its work would benefit both those who came for sport and those who derived advantage from the visits of the sportsmen. (Applause). • On the motion of Mr Rutherford, seconded by Mr \V. H, Beetham, the name was altered to "The Wellington Acclimatisation Society." A vote of thanks to His Excellency for presiding having been-carried,, on the motion of Captain Humphrey, the meeting terminated.—New -Zealand Times.