ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18287, 22 January 1925, Page 10

ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

MONTHLY MEETING. The council of the North Canterbury Acclimatisation Society met last evening, Mr E. F. Stead presiding. Dr. C. Morton .Anderson wrote thanking the Society for having elected him patron. The Minister of Internal Affairs, in response to a suggestion that the turnstone and golden plover should be taken cw killed during the same season as godwits, stated that an amendment of the law would be* necessary before effect could be given to the proposal. The suggestion, the Minister stated, would ibe given consideration.

It was decided to reply asking that the necessary amendment of the law be made.

The Department of Internal Affairs wrote stating that the request to permit the importation into the Dominion of specimens of ruffed grouse of the North-Eastern United States and European snipe, would, be considered by the Minister. The letter was received.

The Professor of Biology at Otago University wrote stating that Dr. John Schmidt, the famous naturalist, of Denmark, was conducting investigations concerning fresh-water eels and wished to have specimens from New Zealand. The Society was asked for its support in connexion with the matter.

The chairman said • the matter was one in which the Society should assist. He-suggested that it should offer boys 3d an eel fbr up to fifty eels from the Avon. Professor' Speight had promised to take delivery of the eels at the Museum.

Mr 'M. H. Godby said tlte> matter gave the Society an opportunity of exercising a portion of its functions that it did not often exercise.

The suggestion was agreed to. Mr L. Weir (Spreydon) wrote asking what action tlie Society was taking in respect of the scenic resort at the 'head of the Waimakariri river. He stated that, there was strong evidence of deer and other game. - If the Society did not take action it might be found that notices would be posted warning sportsmen off. If huts were to be built the Society should be able to get a guarantee that some would be available for deer-stalkers •or duck shooters. The writer expressed the hope that the Society would work in co-operation with the Progress League, and make another field for sportsmen. It was decided to inform Mr JVeir that his representations would be kept in view. '

The Director of the National Zoological Gardens of South Africa advised that he was unable to supply red-wing and grey-wing partridges. He was Bending ten pairs of francotius. , The chairman said he would like -to try some on Lake Coleridge, as the conditions there would suit requirements.

The disposal, of the birds was left to a sub-committee. .

Mr C. H. Elisor drew attention to the destruction of trout by black shags. He suggested the destruction of young shags at nesting time, that being the most suitable time, as the shags, established rookeries, and both old and young could be destroyed. The Society in liberating young fish deserved'.flyery effort on the part of fishermen and others to prdtect them until they reached maturity.

The, chairman said his that would .always take eeis in preference, to trout if they could get them.' In eighteen shags which he and Mr Godby had shot, twenty-three eels were found, and bnly three trout. Shags, he thought,-were the best friend the anglers in New Zealand had. It was decided that Mr Ensor be written to on these lines.

Mr D. Hope reported that as the Canadian geese would be moulting this month, and as there'were twenty, birds on the lagoon at Glenmark, it would be a good opportunity to' capture some to fill orders on hand.

♦ The report.was adopted. It was decided to offer a reward of £2O for information leading to the conviction of any person destroying Mandarin dticks. i

A communication signed by. fifteen anglers was received, stating 'hat there was a great deal of illegal fishing in the Rakaia, and the signatories suggested that the ranger should visit the river more often. The, Ashburton Society, they considered, might also be asked to assist. Between 'fifty and sixty license-holders, they pointed out, fished in the Rakaia regularly. . • The chairman said it would' probably be a good thing if a hut were provided on-the Rakaia for the ranger. Strokehauling was still going on. All the poaching came from the Ashburton,side, and the Ashburton Society was not doing its part. It was decided to write to the Ashburton Society on the matter, and that the Bakaia* Committee should bring down a report on the. matter of a hut for the ranger.. ■' Mr H. H. Smith, chairman 'of the Selwyn Committee, reported that during holidays a dumber of anglers and their families had spent their holidays at the Lower Selwyn and the popularity of the resort had been amply proved. The lake was now over two feet above normal, and attempts to let the water out liad not been altogether successful. The river was fairly clear for fishing; but the silveries were still very plentiful, and it was not expected that'the best fishing would be obtained until the run of natural feed had ceased. Soine very good bags had been obtained in Ihe Lower Selwyn, where fish were fairly numerous, and baskets of two and four fish were common. Nearly all the fish caught were in good condition, and as they were working up the river from the lake, most of them were lake run fish, the weights of those caught ranging up to eleven pounds. Selwyn No. 2 had also supplied good sport and good bags had been obtained, the fish caught weighing up to eighteen pounds. The loose weed which' was continually coming down the river was causing annoyance to anglers. The godwit shooting this year ha,d been rather a failure, as very few of the birds had been seen. Probably the height of the water in the lake had been the cause by covering up their* usual feeding grounds. It was yet, however, too early to judge, and some good shooting might yet be obtained.

The report was adopted. The secretary reported that the amounts received.for license fees up to January 20th were as follows (the figures for 1923-24 being given in parentheses) Adult, £7OO (£789) • ladies and boys, £63 l-5s (£77 ios)' half season, £29 15s (£140); Victoria Lake, £3 (£5). *