OLD FISHING BRIGADE.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 72, 26 March 1928, Page 8

OLD FISHING BRIGADE.

SURVIVOR'S LONG JOURNEY.

TWENTY-NINTH VISIT.

MEMORIES OF PAST RECORDS

Dating his first visit to New Zealand: back to nine months after the Tara-i wera eruption, Mr. J. C. Buckingham,! an ardent fisherman from England, is bringing his twenty-ninth visit to the Dominion to a close. He leaves for the' Old Country by the Aorangi to-day, but' intends to return again next year. i Better known as the "Major," because! of his long association with the late Mr. Rhys Wykham Jones, who held that rank, Mr. Buckingham, who is a polished linguist, served as an interpreter during the last war, with the rank of captain, and enjoys the distinction of being the oldest and last-but-one living of the first overseas fishing brigade. The First Swordfish.

The other remaining member is Mr. i. D. Campbell, who was the first ingler to kill a swordfish on rod and ine, and to use Mr. Buckingham's description of him, is still going strong. Jther friends of the "Major's," who ished in most of the New Zealand waters with him, from Waihau in the (outh to Whangaroa in the north, were Mr. De la tour, an observant naturalist, Admiral Kennedy, Mr. Arthur Denham, Sir. Shilson, Col. Hanning Lee, Mr. Rhvs Wykham Jones, General Dorward, Mr W. Sottan Pillans, Mr. A. Manning Vaylor, Mr. Montgomery, and Mr. Stead. As interesting a coterie of sportsmen is ever visited the Dominion, these folowers of the cult of Izaac Walton shared nany records in their day. Shilson in I season killed Gtons 12cwt of fish, and :he average at his camp was 101b a trout. Pillans was one of the earliest sportsmen to help in stocking Southland streams, and was a capable sculptor especially of fish. The party in the early days made some huge bags at the mouth of the Tongariro, either spinning or using a leaded fly—a Durhan ranger for preference. Despite his "rising 65" years Mr. Buckingham is still hale and hearty, although his visits nowadays serve largely to recoup him for another twelve months and to bring back haunting memories of days that have passed beyond recall. To-day he is forced to fish in comfort from a dinghy. The state ! of his health prevents him from don[ning waders, and casting his fly or min,now. the approved style, but he | cherishes memories of his triumphs of .yesterday. In his bluff way he recalled to an interviewer that during *aany .seasons of angling in Taupo and its i tributaries, h« lulled 4092 fish, weighing 23,4391b. Hig record trout waj 'one gf

|l9lb, landed at Taupo in 1907, and Ids average for the following vear wis 101b. * "Fifty Trout a Day." "When I made my first journey to Rotorua on horseback." added the old i''Major," with a twinkle in his eye, "we jused to catch as many as 40 and at itrout in a day, but I must say they woe not worth much. Now our catches in {limited to 15 a day, but I consider the : fish better on the average than any I have seen at Rotorua for some time." | Mr. Buckingham has also tried hit hand at big game fishing, his heaviest Iswordfish weighing 33!>lb. "I am not jup-to-date. I am entirely a back nom|ber," he added wistfully, in expressing jhis keen regret at not possessing th» jvim of his more youthful days that | would enable him to play the quinnat ] salmon that now abound the rivers of it he South. He regards Salmo salar as | the king of sporting fish, but says they ! did not obtain in Southland when he made goods bags on the Rangitata, Rakaia, Waiau and the other rivers ii . the South Island. Sympathies with New Zealaad. Mr. Buckingham, besides being a fisherman who has used rod and reel and line in many parts of the world, was a cricketer of more than ordinary ability, having at one time been a member of The M.C.C. He followed the Test match between Australia and New Zealand on Saturday with keen interest, and openly expressed the fact that Iris sympathies were with the wearers of the silver fern. He was delighted to , see New Zealand "coming along in tie cricket world, and was greatly impressed with the home eleven in the field.

"Yes. I intend to come again next season," was the "Major's" reply to • question put by the interviewer. "Y<* are lucky to have been born in New Zealand," he added, with conviction— the conviction of a man who has travelled, and of a man who has lived aad played with nature, "Xew Zealand is » beautiful little spot."