ACCLIMATISATION

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXIX, Issue 9633, 13 June 1919, Page 5

ACCLIMATISATION

SOUTH ISLAND CONFERENCE

CHRISTCHUitCH, June 13. A conference of representatives of South Island acclimatisation societies was held yesterday. There were pre-< sent: iviessrs M. H. Godby and E. if. Stead (North Canterbury), W. Suuipter (Waitaki), 11. L. Wills and i". Nash (Waimate), and A. M. Jameson and i?. J. Million (South Canterbury). Mr Godby presided,, and Mr C. W. Hervey acted as honorary secretary. /

The Otago Society wrote stating that the society had decided not to be represented at the conference. & The (Southland Society wrote stating,; that it was not 'prepared to join the proposed South Island Acclimatisation Societies' Association, as it considered that the New Zealand Association was sufficient. . i'.Tlie Marlborough Society^ expressed the same opinion, adding that it was not antagonistic to the proposal if there, was to be anything gained, by it. ' The Nelson Society was net''represented, but. wrote approving of '.theproposed' South Island Association!.'''" A' letter from the Ileefton Society stated that owing to most of its active members being at the front the. activities of the/society:had.almost ceased.' A remit from the Waitaki Society, to the \ effect that single" river, (10s): licenses should,be abolished, was dis-; cussed at) some' length, _and it was finally decided to hold over the \ remit' for further. discussion by the most .concerned, Waitaki, W«i-i mate, and South Canterbury. ' '

"That a universal ' fee of 10s > be 1 charged for rail fishing licenses instead; of 20s, as. at present,"-, was a remit from the Waimate Society. As, it was felt that the conference was not represenoative enough to pass such a comprehensive remity .it was. decided to .take, no action in the matter., ... . ...

Two remits—-one' from and one from 'North -Canterbury—were taken together.- The first read: a regulation'be made making it unlawful for anyone to .apply for a fishinglicense outside the boundaries of- the district in which he was domiciled," and the second: "That fishing licenses issued to residents of New Zealand be invalid unless issued in the district in which .the holder resides." .Jt was finally decided to pass the second remit and strike out the first. It was also decided: " That a system of notification be instituted whereby all secretaries ,of acclimatisation societies would be supplied with a list of all person's who had offended against.the Act, and were thereby not entitled to purchase a license^" . . ■

A remit from the South Canterbury Society read:,, " That.the Government be recommended to prohibit worm and creeper fishing in all rivers throughout New Zealand up to December 1." As no. unanimous decision could be arrived at, no; action was taken with regard to the remit.

A remit from the South Canterbury Society, to. the effect that boys' licenses should be granted on the terms thitt • they be allowed to iish with '■& fly or minnow only, was held over. It was decided that, for the purposes' of ac-. climatisation. societies, the age limit of "boys" should be v fixed* at' 16 years. A remit from-Ashburton, ." that applications for deer licenses throughout Canterbury and. Otago close on one fixed'date,'' was referred to the Deer Committee of the" North Canterbury Society for consideration. ; ; ' The Waimate Society asked that ft uniform price should be paid for shags' heads by all societies in the South Island who deemed it advisable to buy heads. , ■>. .

It was .^decided to amend tile remit to the- effect that the price should be paid only by societies thai bought heads, arid to insert the word "black" before the word "shags." The remit as amended was carried. The amount to be paid per head was left to the societies concerned to fix. x

A remit from lilie Waitaki Society that South Island societies should coinbine to secure mpre efficient ranging was carried. '

"That we .recommend for tho ..consideration of all South Island societies the matter of instructing their rangers to take every opportunity to plant trees on all lakes under their control," a remit from the South Canterbury Society, was carried.

" That the Government be asked to instruct the police to take a more active part in the suppression of game and fish poaching, and, further/ that rabbit and county inspectors -be appointed rangers under the Animals Protection n,nd' Fisheries Act," another remit from the South Canterbury Society, was'" also agreed ,to.

A remit,. "that the Government be requested to prohibit all netting ai, thp mouths of rivers except for piscicuilurai purposes," was carried. It was decided to ask the Government to iix a registration fee of Is per annum for all nets other than ■■landing and whitebait nets, and to recommend that the fines for breaches of the Animals Protection and Fisheries Act be increased.

A remit on sanctuaries from the South Canterbury Society read: "That- the Government be asked to legislate: |in the direction, .of protecting game on> sanctuaries by making it an offence for any person to be found oh a sanctuary with a dog or gun." The remit, with the addition of the words " without the written permission of the society concerned," was carried. .

Some discussion followed the reafjmg' of a South Canterbury ram it: "That consequent on the 'Gazette" notice regarding worm fishing in the Opihi the South "Canterbury Council urges the conference to protest strongly against the. fishing regulations :being ■ altered without referring the matter to the said council, and the council recommends that when alterations to existing regulations arc contemplated all alterations or new regulations be first submitted to the society or societies interested

before the same are gazetted." "Ehe chairman suggested that the following be submitted to the Progress League:—" That\ when "alterations Lo existing regulations under"the Animals Protection and Fisheries ,'Act are contemplated the amendments or new iugulations should be submitted, to the society or societies interested before they are gazetted." ■ ■ This suggestion .was agreed to, and it was decided to ask.the league to forward the resolution to the s Minister of Marine. It was further decided that a deputation should wait on the Minister at the first opportunity. The South Canterbury remit was tliencarried.

The following remits were agreed to: That the acclimatisation societies have the control of the sale of shooting licenses (North Canterbury); that acclimatisation societies' rangers should •have the right to search persons and buildings in cases under the Animals Protection' Act, 1908, similar to the power given tinder the Fisheries Act. 1908, and similarly the right to search paresis in transit- under the Fisheries Act, 1908, as Tinder the- Anjmals Protection Act, 1908 (North Canterbury;; that there be an open season for golden plover, turnstbne, , and' sandpipers atthe samp time as the open season for knots and godwits (North Canterbury); that tho Government be asked to arrange with the Australian Government to protect banded'dotterel with a view to arranging open and close seasons concurrently in both countries (North Canterbury): that the Government be asked to amend both tha Animals Protection and Part 11. Fisheries Acts providing for the hearing: before a magistrate of all charges fcr broaches of either Acts or-of their regulations.

It was decided to.urge the Government to make regulations restricting the use of the pea rifle for sporting, purposes. ■ , . ■ ,

It was decided on the- motion of Mr Stead that the jsooietiorf represented •shouid agree to contribute towards the cost of importing &ouie, black game tor acclimatisation purposes. The: following remits were held over for discussion aL the annual Dominion conference:—Thai/ an endeavour be made, to import one or moro species of plover from Australia. (North Canterbury) ; that societies who have rivers as their^boundaries and when same require re-stocking with 'fislij <?acli society shall bear their 'part of tiie cost. (Asnburton).

A remit, "That the Act dealing with the use of cylinders be amended so that the permitting or forbidding of the use of cylinders may bo dealt with by regulations on the, advice of the local society" (.North Canterbury), was withdrawn.

It was decided to ask the Government to prohibit the depositing of rubbish in riverbeds.

A discussion, took plate en the three following remits i'roin the South Canterbury Society, which were read together ::—That wo recognise that the successful work of acclimatising fish and game cannot bo carried on without Government assistance; that we recommend that the various acclimatisation societies of the South Island be reorganised and that the principle of amalgamation receives our earnest support; further wo arc of opinion that it will bo in the best interests^ of acclimatisation that the governing, bodies be provincial, made up of Canerbury, Otago, Southland and Westland, and that a committee bo set tip to draft a_constitution which wilt safeguard the interest of the smaller societies now in existence. After a general discussion on the/* question ' oi' amalgamation, in tho ■course ■• of which various representatives spoke strongly in favour of the proposal, it was deckled to ask the North ■• Canterbury, A^hburton, South Canterbury, Waimale ami Wattaki societies to- appoint a delegate each to act on a committee to draw mi a constitution in connection with theproposed amalgamation; tliis constitution to be submitted to the societies concerned. . . , It was decided to commumcato wil i the Minister of Marine asking for Tusviews on; the proposed amalgamation, and also asking for Eiigsicstions as to lvow it, could best be effected.