ACCLIMATISATION.

Press, Volume XLIV, Issue 19390, 16 August 1928, Page 3

ACCLIMATISATION.

NORTH CANTERBURY SOCIETY.

/The Council of the North Canterbury Acclimatisation Society met last night. Present: Messrs C. H. Lawrence (chairman), A. K Smith, S. F. Barnett, P. J. Molloy, P. W. Billens, H. J. Hill, H. Anderson, D. Hobbs, L. A. Shand, R. Ashworth, C. O. J. Sloman, G. D. Mcllraith, W. G. Ives, G. Stokell,. and Dr., Wales. Apologies were received from Messrs W. A. Gray, W. O. Ronnie, and W. C. Berry, The Garden Committee recommended that the -liberations this season be on a'basis of two-thirds of the amount m the previous list, with the exception of the Selwyri, which is not to be stocked unless the Southland Society could fulfil the order for 250,000 brown trout eyed !ova. The Southland Society wrote that it could not fulfil the order.

Mr D. Hope (curator) said that there were*approximately 250,000 eyed ova available. Mr Barnett, chairman of the committee, said that all the ova available would be liberated. The report. was adopted. The remits to be considered at the annual, conference of the New Zealand Acclimatisation Societies' Association were gone through, and instructions were given the Society's delegates.to support or oppose; the individual- remits.

The delegates were instructed to support a proposal to reduce the minimum lino for shooting without a license to £3 (the present fine of. £5 is considered too high), and that the, fine for shooting out of season be not less than £5. It was decided to reply to the Marine Department that it was not desired to place any restriction on the bags to be taken in any one day by an angler. / Regarding Te Anau salmon ova, the secretary reported that Mr Hefford had promised that the Society should have a small supply. The usual vote of £2 2s to the Progress League was agreed to, and the chairman was reappointed the fc>ociety's delegate. Mr E. H. Bayley wrote suggesting that the number of swans on Lake Ellesmere be reduced, as they were destroying quite a considerable amount of grass, digging pot holes along the foreshore, and eating out the natural food of the grey duck. It was decided to reply that the sale of swans and the collection of eggs were going on, and it was not considered necessary to take further, steps, but. a proposal to extend the shooting season in respect of swans would come before the Council later. A motion that this year the collection of swans' eggs should cease on October 31st was lost, and the fixing of the date was left to the Swan Egg Committee. The curator's monthly report was read and received. Messrs Barnett and Mcllraith resigned from the Finance Committee owing to pressure.of business, and the resignations were accepted. Accounts totalling £164 19s 9d were passed for payment. The balance to credit was £l9O. Mr Hobbs proposed that next season's licenses should provide that in -respect to certain North Canterbury streams thev should not be open for bait fishers during the' first two months of the season. . Mr- Shand seconded the motion. _ Mr Molloy vigorously opposed it and said that they were spoiling sport by imposing too many restrictions. H© was a fly fisher himself, but raised no

objection to any angler, coming along who used legal bait. Mr Hobbs submitted that the. pro-; posal would not impose any unfair restriction on the bait fisher. Mr Stokell emphasised the desirable-' ness of encouraging fly fishing. The chairman sunported the proposal and said it was desirable to inculcate young fishermen: with the finer art. or .fly fishing. ''•" ' ■' ' . ; The motion was ngreed to.