IMPORTATION OF WHITE FISH OVA.

Waikato Times, Volume XIII, Issue 1037, 15 February 1879, Page 2

IMPORTATION OF WHITE FISH OVA.

Thb large consignment, consisting of one million White Fish Ova, 250,000 of which were apportioned to the Province of Auckland, which wasexpectetl to arrive, to the order of the New Zealand Government, in Auckland by the s.s. Australia the remaining 753,000 to go South for the lakes in the Middle Island, did not arrive, through some mischance. Mr Firth was to have taken charge of the transhipment of the Southern consignment, aud to have taken them down at once by the Hinemoa Mr Firth then was bo have gone down to Tauranga, from which port hb would have started with 250,000 for Lakes Tarawera, Taupo, and possibly Rotoaira.

White Fish would be a valuable addition to our fresh-water fish, but we must certainly be allowed to say that in the proposed distribution of the ova the numerous lakes in Waikato should not have been overlooked fr> the preference of two or three lakes in the interior. So large a consignment should have heen ample for all purposes, and ,?reat as may be the advantages of stocking large lakes, such as those abave mentioned, it cannot be deuied that to have stocked the larger of the numerous lakes in the Waikato district—where the introduction of the White Fish amongst a population of some thousand Europeans would have been so great and immediate a pubiio benefit—ahould hj ive been the tirat consideration. The claims of <hese lakes should, at least, have ranked equally with the claims of the interior lakes. The Waisari, Wangape, Wahihi, Ngaroto and half a score of over largesized lakes in Waikato, not forgetting the Rotorua Lake at Hamilton which is some three hundred acres in extent should ha«»e all h>id their share of these ov». It was ordered otherwise, however, but ve trust that, when the consignment does arrive, the claims of the European settled distriots will n >t be altogether ignored, ft is certainly not very much to the credit either of the Government or the public concerned that these lakes have not for (he last five or six years at least, largely added to the food.producing capabilities of the district.