WELLINGTON ACCLIM A TISATION SOCIETY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2703, 17 September 1887, Page 2

WELLINGTON ACCLIM A TISATION SOCIETY.

The annual meeting of members'.of the Wellington Acclimatisation Society was hold at the .Miisdum, Wellington, on Thursday 'night. 'Hie Excellency the Governor presided, and them were sixteen gentlemen present.- , ■■ \■ •'

The Secretary, Mr A. J. Rutherford, read the annual report of the Council, which stated the total amount of receipts for the past year was L 578 17s. and the expenditure L47518s 9d, leaving a balance in hand of L 97 18s 3d. There was a slight increase in the amount received for shooting licenses (L 172 as against Ll7O for the year), while the fees for fishing licenses reached the sum of L 72 12s 6d, as compared with a total of L 64 •& 6d for the season 1885-86. Since the amalgamation of the Wellington and Wairarapa Societies, the work of introducing the best fresh water fishes into our rivers, lakes and streams had been steadily persevered in. The report goes on .to state that experts in pisieulture, and others who have visited the ponds in Masterton, are much pleased with the arrangements for hatching and rearing fry|

Acclimatised fish,— Salmonidte.— The Council state " that substantial work lias been carried on throughout the North island from the Masterton ponds. Since last September upward of 3000 ova and 700 fry of the Loch Leven trout, 11,600 fry of the American brook char, beside.some yearling brown trout, had been distributed among .the acclimatisation societies in-the Manchester, Rangitikei, Wanganui, Patea,. Hawera,' arid Taranaki districts; while 250 Loch'Leven trotit, 850 American brook char, and'4iso brown trout had been'.'turned into the rivers in the .Horowlienua' County.' In the Hutt 'County, large numbers" of Loch Leven trout fry have been liberated ip the.Hutt.River and Silver-, stream, and various species fof Salmonidffl in the Makara, Karorijj Korokoro and.other: streams. .■Tjjjj Wairarapa rivers liave had a numh,e| of fey of the American brook to.awj Loch Leven trout turned into s6s) and it' isv-intended fo- liberate'iri 'the Napier watoheij-'of'tlie". M&nawatu River Bbme'bf the -fry now .'hatching.;'. The road lately dpeh&d from; Pahiatua'; tothe Mangahao will facilia'te } stocking '. this river—one.t-pf the finest tributaries of the'Manij.watu, in the Forty. Mile Bush. ' •■ '• ..- His Excellency the Governor, in congratulating the' Society on the results of the work done, said he would suggest that it should be a question of consideration whether: some steps should be taken to have the Botanical Gardens handed over to the Society. It was a question whether considerable funds would hot accrue to the Society if such a step were taken. If the gardens were given oyer, to the Society, they might, form a place where birds might be reared, and be' utilised for other purposes that 'might result in; bringing funds to. the Society.' Captain Humfcev moved' the adop.

"tion of the report. In referring to his Excellency's suggestion about the amalgamation of the Botanical Gardens, he said it seemed to him, however, that there were certain difficulties about it. The finances of the Society had so far been paid'by voluntary subscriptions, especially in 'the Wairarapa, wnere the people seemed.to. take great interest in the Society, > .'and:hedid n6t know-'that Wellington'.' had shone put in the matter of scribing quite as well as the country.' Of course the Botanical Gardens were purely a local niper, and he doubted whether the country members •like, to subscribe so freely. ; ■;■ , •Mr Wi H. Beetham seconded th|| motion. He said that His Excellency 1 '!?* suggestion had already occurred ,to him, and he thought, he had'expressijd some. ,suoh views at the last annual ■ meeting .of the Society. He would say.that aa soon as there wasjgurplus of the funds it would be jrory.. nice way of spending it, and he con-" sidered that the gardens should be made as interesting as possible to the .' WeUington people, ... TheJasaets of the Society were -saiidowirat 1595 18s Bd, and liabilities""

Tlie.present officers of the Society ■ were'.all-unanimously re-elected.. ;. ; oaptarn Humfrey and L. G. Rei&if* -were;eleoted life members. ;• A vote of thanks to His brought'the meeting to a.olose.—Times h-: