THE ACCLIMATISATION DISPUTE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1363, 6 October 1886, Page 2

THE ACCLIMATISATION DISPUTE

In a leading article on the “ difficulty ” between the Christchurch and Ashburton Acohmatiats, the Times says 'hit Mr >hdry’s letter is sensioiy and tamperately written, and that “ he makes out a very fair case for his side. He shows that the Ashburton rivers and streams are not entirely indebted to Christchurch for the fish with which they are now stocked. Some of the fish were tamed oat by private enterprise. When, again, the fish were got from the Christchurch Soc ety, Mr Stiu>y cl dm* that they were paid for, and paid for ft their full value On this last point we shall very possibly hear more It may be urged that the Ashburton acolimatisers won d not possibly have got their fish at the price they did had they been standing Independently, and had there been no Christchurch Society to attend to their district n format years But admitting that Aehbarton has, in rime past, been not seldom beholden to Christchurch, their remain the substantial grievance* which the Ashbnrtoaian anglers claim to have endured in recent years. They allege that the central Society is powerless to check poaching in their County or that, at any rate, it has not done so. We heae of indiscriminate ne.ting and spearing, and of one heartless poach ir who went so far as to feed his pigs on trout. This, of course, is very disgusting to all sportsmen, and most dishe ir'euing <o acolimatisers. The Ashburton anglers thick that, by means of a local Society, they could tackle the poachers more successfully. We can easily understand that this might bo the case so long as the local Society had the rtquis-ta energy and enthusiasm, But energy is a thing which in the long run depend* on the presence of sinews of war. Are the Ashburton anglers sure that their Society would always have these necessaries? As a tu e, this is where these little local associates break down. They atat with no little vigour and spirit, bat the strain is too severe for them to stand ia the long run. Mr Walker and his friends have made whit appears a very reasonable, indeed aeneri-as, offer to surrender to the Christchurch -mole y all the surplus money received fmm license fees after the expenses < f supervision have been paid. Bu 's there a : ways to be snch a surplus ? What if there were a deficit? What if the sifcurton Society f und itself altogether short of money ? Wou d it cure to hand over any funds to Christchurch ? As for the minor point in dispute—the date for the com neuoement of the fishing s aaon in Ashb’irton County -we oan hardly think that anything so trumpery —a n atter of detail so easily capable of arrangement—should be allowed to break our Acclimatisation 'ocie'-y. If th-ro be nothing more than appears on the surface, we see noreason what evertoprevent North Can*erbnry acclimatlsers from meeting their Ashburton friends half way, and by reasonable concessions and arrangements preventing a complete severance. VI r Farr’s scheme of a central Society working through local branches seems to us so en'ire’y the right way to manage the business of Hcclima‘i*ation here in the future, that we wood infinitely regret to seen it abandoned Abandoned, however, it assuredly will be if gentlemen concerned iu the good work take to calling each other hard names, and to keeping debtor and creditor aoc- nuts between vari ms parts of the Provincial districts, accounts which are drawn up in an uuralocal spirit *’