WITH ROD AND GUN.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 65, Issue 181, 15 May 1945, Page 4

WITH ROD AND GUN.

i "i • —■*— SUCCESSFUL YEAR REVIEWED. THE FINANCES SATISFACTORY’. A very successful year Avas re\ 7 iewed in the report of the chairman (Mr J. Donn) presented at the annual meeting of the Ashburton Acclimatisation Society last evening. One of the most satisfactory features, it stated, ayus that the accumulated funds had been increased by £144. Revenue from fishing and game licences had been substantially increased. A record number of 710,000 fry had been hatched at the society’s hatrchery, 425,000 of this number being brown trout and 285,000 rainbow trout. All the rainboAv ova Avere from the Government hatcheries at Rotorua. Liberations of fry during the last season were as follow:—Brown trout: Ashburton River 179,000, Hinds River 150,000, Rangitata River 50,000, Lake Colerfrfge 30,000, Lake Emma 16,000. Rainbow trout: Lake Camp 20,000, Lake Heron 12,000, Lake Spider 8000. All South Island fees had been increased this year, native game by 2s 6d and imported game by ss, the whole of the increase to go .to the vermin control fund and applied to the destruction of vermin. Although there was an open season on opossums last year, no trappers’ licences were taken out. The removal of protection on opossums Avas being considered by the Government. The council was strongly supporting a proposal for the reorganisation of fresh-water fish research, and it was hoped that a new organisation would soon be functioning. A scheme relating to wild life control and research was being formulated by the councils of the North , and South Island societies and the Minister of Internal Affairs (the Hon. W.> E. Parry). The balance-sheet shoAved a credit of £373 10s. The assets included £IOO on fixed deposit in .the bank, £lB7 in National Savings and £2OO in the Liberty and Victory Loans. Messrs G. Kelly, J. Palmer and W. H. Sarney, who resired from the council by rotation, were re-elected unopposed. The filling of the vacancy created by the retirement of Mr J. Donn and the chairmanship Avere referred to the next meeting of the council. It was decided to recommend to the incoming council that no fishing be alloAved in the Hinds River after March 31 of each year, th'e idea being to help increase natural spawning. Mr Kelly said that about 10 years ago, when the Hinds was drying up, large numbers of trout had been netted there and transferred to the Ashburton RWer. If this could be done in future the fish in the Ashburton could be increased. A further recommendation Avas that artificial baits only be used in all rivers and streams in the society’s district except the Rangitata and Rakaia Rivers and up to Cole’s Cutting in the Ashburton River. A motion that the incoming council be recommended .to have salmon stopped from going up the Ashburton River was lost by one vote, there being seA*en for and eight against the motion.