ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

Press, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5361, 30 November 1882, Page 3

ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

An ordinary meeting of the council of thaAcclmmtisation Sooiety was "held yesterday, at*B.3o p.m, at the Commercial Hstel Present—Mr John Marshman (in tho-"i__vir), Messrs J. C. Boys, F. J. KimhejlLt,. Dr. Fr-iMsh,. and S. C. Farr (hon. sec:). "Acconnts amounting to .£l4 5s were pasted for payment. 'i| satisfactory telegram from the Secretari of the Gisborne Acclimatisation So|§»ty was read, which stated that the trout sent had arrived safely, only a small per-centage having died on the passage. It was remarked that there was nothing to prevent the fish being sent by steamer with safety to any part of the colony. Betters were read :— From the Rev. A. R. D. Tosswfll, Waikari, stating that nearly all the 500 trout recently sent were dead when taken from the Tail way station, and asking for another grant- ■ The Secretary stated that he had taken every precaution, wiring Mr Tossw_l when the .fish were put on the train, and that, with ordinary care, such a result should; not have obtained. The application was refused.

From- Mr Alfred Pigeon, Meadowbank, St,; Andrew's, asking for a grant, of trout for&hat locality. It was decided that as St.' Andrew's belonged more properly to the Timaru Society, that the application be hot complied with. ijProm the President of the Queenstown Acclimatisation Society,J asking for ten brace.of pheasants. The request to be acceded to when the birds are fit for removal. : *

iFrom Mr. P. Cunningham, asking for 509; large trout for the Rockwood rivers. Granted, conditionaUyJon the trout at the society's disposal being considered suffi- i cientty large, and the Secretary promised ! to We Mr Cunningham on the matter. Irom Mr R. W. Graham, of Queensland, acknowledging safe receipt of the pheasalgts sent aim, stating that" he had a lot of wild geese, and some ready for the Canter- j bury Society; that he expected shortly to. j get several varieties of ducks and other j birds, and asking what arrangements he | shoahi make for sending tHem to,Canter-j ■ ; .--l^-'lfc ; waß--dßnidjed--t» "Write to Mr HpLi twho is now in Sydney, asking him to receive them at that port, and make the necessary arrangements for their transit to Canterbury. , Dr. FrauMsh was glad to hear that Mr Graham would send all the birds he could get from time to time. Perhaps he could send them some snipe E Mr Boys reminded the Council that a resolution was on the books to give the sum of £1 for every healthy snipe sent to the Association. Perhaps, if this was known in Australia, they would yet get plenty. The Secretary said he had been told there were a number of pigeons of a beautiful variety called the "Bleedingheart" could be obtained from Australia.

Dr. Prankish thought it hardly worth while to buy pigeons. ' At the same time, he was glad to inform the Council that the Murrumbidgee pigeons turned out a little time since at Lake Forsyth had been seen in the bush, and were apparently doing well. •

From the Colonial Secretary's office, stating that ferrets could be disposed of when the secretary thought their numbers warranted it.

From the Domain Board, stating that it was not deemed advisable to grant permission to members of the society or others to fish the river within the Domain boun- > daries, on the score that it would interfere with preserving the birds and fish. The Secretary reported that tench were being caught in the Horseshoe Lake, which was illegal, seeing the.fishing licenses included trout only. He also called attention to the fact that salmon were being caught and sold every day. Mr- Boys was not sorry the facilities' afforded for the introduction of English salmon ova would soon give them better salmon than those at present in Canterbury waters. The Secretary stated that he was in daily expectation of the consignment of brook and lake trout from Mr R. J. Creighlton. He also reported that the trout distributed this season numbered 37,550, and that between 7000 and 8000 were still available.

It was agreed that 500 be sent to the river Hawkins, 500 to Motanau, 1000 to Ashburton, 1000 to the Rangiora Main Drain, and 500 to the White Rock creek. The Secretary asked for instructions about two large amounts owing to the society. He was instructed to make a final application for payment, which, if unsuccessful, should be followed up by the usual R.M. Court process. This wa3 all the business.