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Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3499, 1 May 1890, Page 2

The following W6 tako frotn lb® Pelorutr Guardian : -"At a dinner fable in a Wuirarapa hotel au intelligent jjsed the Berviotte as a Tlie astonished waiter mildly the intelligent visitor indignantly replied: '-' Do you knov my father's a J,P„ and do yon think I don't know how to use a table-napkin The \vaiter has rosign'cd and mo Sputy*

Wellington AccluinatisaticiiN Society." * I

The fifth annual meeting of this Sooiety was held in the lecture;room of the Colonial Museum on Tuesday evening, Captain Humphrey, ohair. man of the Council, presiding. The annual roport, which embraced a period of 19 months, showed a credit balance for that term of j)155 8s lid. The revenue from shooting licenses was rather more than that

shown in the last report; (season 1888), while the fishing licenses and sales of trout taken together amounted to ; more', than'double, the sum received from these 1 two sources in any previous year, Reference was mado to the starting of a fish farm at Maßterton, after the American pattern, and it- was stated that the institution ms now nearly selfsupporting, - and distributing fish throughout the former Provincial districts of Wellington, Hawke's Bay, Taranaki, • Marlborough, and Westland. - In addition to the work of fish culture, the owners of property on the East Coast of Wairarapa liad co-operated with the Society iu' preserving the herds of red deer, and liberating some on the Tararua Range, and already deer-stalking was proving a great attraction to colonists- and tourists. The great difficulty in oarrying out the acclimatisation of game had been the im-portation-by thoughtless-, persons of the, ruinous plague, of rabbits, : and the means. taken to' reduce the evil;

tut the.Council had realised that as

such vital interests' are affected it was not wise ' for;a Society like this to interfere. Deer.—pe ; red. dee?, iu Wairarapa had increased and spread over, a larger area, and doubtless within the next few-years wo*ld thrive on the Tararua ranges, which Ishould forma magnificent harbour for them. Several of them had been

m ill the Forty-mile Busli, am

even as far north as 'Manawatu, Hares.—Several settlers near the Lower Hutt had applied for leave to keep hares down out of season, and

tliis bad been granted by the Government 'during the months of Marob and April. Native Game.—For some time past the ducks, pigeons, and kakas had very markedly decreased in numbers, whioh Wis probably accounted for to a large extent by the immonso area of forest destroyed by the progress of settlement, and the

scarcity of employment during dull times, causing a number of men to , shoot. for the market as a means of i livelihood, During the past year, ' however, the improved state of the labour market had had a tendency' to ; give the birds more peace, Several specimens of what was supposed to be the Chatham Island snipe had been seen lately, and if a convenient opportunity ocout'i'ed it would be; worth while bringing some over in hopes that they would include this colony in their migrations. The past season has been an exceptionally good one for youug pheasants, and both in the Hutt and Horiwhenua counties there were now more birds than had been seen for some years. Californian quail were increasing fast, and had taken such a hold that there was little danger of exterminating them by any fair means. Australian quail are spreading slowly, as owing to their habit-of keeping close on the ground they were kept down very much by oats, hawks, and other vermin. An attempt had been made to import 6ome more English partridges, but they were lost, The gentleman who had sent them would not allow the society to be at'any loss, and intended to make another" attempt. Many of the imported insectivorous birds, such as the hedge warbler and thrush were how gaining a .firmer footing, while the starling was everywhere to be Been, Insects.-The humble bees'imported from Canterbury were spreading very fast... It would also be desirable to introduce some of the European ladybirds (minilti) to prey on the troublesome aphides so plentiful in this country; and it was also likely that they would render good service by devouring many of the scale blight. Fish Culture.— During the past 18 months the work of pisoi-culture had been vigorously carried on at the Mastertou Ponds, 88,876 Fontinaiis, 167,060 brown trout, SI,BOO Lochleven trout, and 1200 burn trout—or a total of 299,845 fishhaving beeu sent out to different rivors, in addition to 81,000 eyed ova of various kinds, and the Society hope to be In a position to distribute half a million next season. This large increase in productive power had not been accomplished without making considerable improvements. Nine new ponds had been made, two others widened and deepened, while a race cut and timbered utilised the full flow of water, the springs cf which had not decreased in volume, nor risen to any extent in temperature, during the. exceptional drought of last summer, The Council testified to tbo zealous and faithful maimer in which Mr Ayson,' tbo curator at Masterton, had discharged his duties,. and recommend that he should reoeive a bonus of £25 in addition to his salary,' Reference was made to the great destruction of trout by shags, especially in Horowhenua county, and a hope was expressed that settlers and sportsmen would do their best to destroy these birds. The Council denied tlie ' report that there had been mortality among the fisli of the ponds, the stook being healthy and in concluding theirreport they thanked the Riilway Commissioners arid their employs, the Manawatu Railway Company; the Union St6am Ship Company and many-colonists who had aided and taken an iuterest in the work of adding to the' attractiveness and value of the colony by introducing, fostering, and spreading some.of the precious gifts of Nature. "" Thotkm, J. W. Fortespue moved the adoption of the report.' The motion was seponded by' Mr H. P. Higgiqson, and agreed to. The Chairman paid a high compliment to the Seorctafy (Mr A. J. Rutherford) and the Treasurer (L, G, Kei(J) for tbo energy and ability which they had shown i.a the past, and expressed his thanks to tliein for the. valuable assistance which they bad rendered him-'during the time he had- been Chairman of tlje CoifngiJ, - The elation of" office-bearers rosulted as follows: —President - Ijord Onslow ; Vice Presidenta-Sir James Hector and I{|! ,W, T, I, Tpera(botk fe-electeil); ChalrtMn | Captain Huu)frey (re-elected); Coqncil—Messrs A, do B. Brandon, 0, Denton, H. H, Higglnson, j, IJolmeß fl. St Bavbe, N. W, Werry, W, H, Beetham, Hon, J, and Major Campbell (all re-elected); Mr J. Stuckey suggested tliat.aii gtjptyld be made to,brtjppf on tbo ifoarua already been placed there, But for some reason they had not. bred. ' . ■Mr Werry thought tlie 'shooting men had Some oauee (ft complaint.

if he Society had done a lot in the past m the direction of hatching fish, and hi- reoommended more attention

should be given to birds! He suggested the introduction of Indian partridges, and also of snipe from the Auckhnd Islands. He thought th 6 Government should be approached with a view of granting passages to.some men- despatched by the Society for the purpose of obtaining snipe from the Auckland Islands. Mr Beetham moyed that it should be a recommendation to the Counoil to offer a sum sufficient to import snipe from the Auckland Islands, Also, that the Counoil should'take into consideration the desirableness of importing various other birds. ' After some; disoussion this. was agreed to.

Mr Stuokey suggested the import- ; ation. of moles and toads, which would be found useful, in destroying ' grubs and worms. Disoussion followed, but no motion was proposed.' - Mr Beetham, Hon.'Mariager of th Masterton fish ponds, referred in the warmest terms to the energy and ability of Mr Ayson, the curator, and' said that the sooiety had to congratulate themselves on the possession - of suoli an efficient and '-painstaking official. ; ". . . The Chairman endorsed Mr Bee- >

tliam's remarks,Jand Baid that to Mr. ■ Beetham a great deal of the success. of the ponds was due./; f -- A vote of thanks to the Chairman v brought the proceedings to : a close!- ;• At.the conclusion of the': meeting •' the Council / inet and re-elected-Captain Humfrey Chairman, Mr A. J. Kutherford Secretary, and Mr L. G.' Heid Treasurer.—Post. ''