FRESHWATER RESEARCH COMMITTEE AND ITS SUPPORTERS

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21355, 24 December 1934, Page 11

FRESHWATER RESEARCH COMMITTEE AND ITS SUPPORTERS

T' -.}'! IDIIOI Of THE PH«»S. ?'r May 1 crave space for this r'tr'r bvJatcd reply to "Black Gnat's" i-r:\.'::::r. of the South Canterbury Acfi.rr.at:iiit!"!i Society's attitude tp■uirci the F:c;!i Water Research Com'C:'U r'li!. uu ly I missed this article v "Tne Pre:.-/' of December 8, and ■• v;. ! ' ly recently that I heard com- !■'■'••' (■'■ this matter, which induced 71. ' " > procure a back number. The i:o , .r> 'j.-iih the South Canterbury 'r--;--r<y s that ii lias fallen into the i rrr ■'•■' '■: ;'or of regarding this rc- ..-;-!•'- ■ "-ipric as a .scientific investi- ;...:;'■■ ,-. , -d i eon,mi!t'ng the obvious ■:;■■• r , f blaming science for the ?:.■■:•■<- of ;jn enterprise that has proi • <-trri :;-■'•'i;shf)iit '.villi a complete i : -'r:.."'i l"i- Mieutilic principles and t:,-rvrr; This so-called research is :'.• ;.•' ■••■■!-■ •.ligation of the geneva) rie- '. -r.'.\ ■■••,r.-> of inuit fish in a. but is <■:■■,■ '< ra'lT-r feeble attempt to de • ■■'•:•■ i-c)-i;':n preconceived thcori ': !.. unnecessary to no further ..... - r r cr.iise of the present dispute ■ <••<:<•-: to demonstrate this. The -•■■:. • -'co- ,ict;on in commencing an ■•'■■.•■Mi-tioM of the possibility of dis- • -:' : :;:'" between hatchery fry and; : .vur-.'Jh 'pawned ones without this • < i:-m having first been indicated as i (--,:';.• b.y previous investigations • •<■: • •■]•.'! .< .<; from the starting point, is < ..•■;•:;.'.■ opposed to the principles of ■ '.'■ ■'■■; iiiici is typical of the spccula- • •. - • i iliods employed by (his body. "'■::- !■■ .:;'.riijti''or" chooses a rather •-.i:< :•■:<■ example v. lien he quotes • ■- :crr;i -: foi naturally spawned fry ■) ■••■■,.,]> of th-> 'hovou^hnefs : Ii ihe ciimmitice carries out 'i'i-'ie ;ire very grave doubts • ■ ■ .■..'■ "v .if :my society that an- !..' -ah; largo carnitines of ■ ■ i■■;■ to ■■upply fish that arc . ■■:■(':-.■ "'itn»-.-h 1:_-.- spawned, and any ■ ■•:;;-;•<:- who base> his work on :■•■■■.:,': .■!' ruch questionable value ■ . : ■ -.>• he surnn.-efl if his pro- ■.'■ ',.'.- -ire not taken very scri- ;,".•■;< (ha'" furllvr states that it . :.'"■ wuh ihe whole-hearted sup- • •■■ of ail anglers that this work can r'rrrrri <-,,-,.-,o'bl.v: but there do not . :■■:<:■■ io he many anglers in the • •':!:!■ •■ wiio wo,|i 'j( to "proceed at b was not desired by the anglers <■■'. :.'.'-.'■ Zealand. nor even by the . ■;■■."■ is of the various societies, but. -.»..-- foi-ted on them by a few indivi- ..:;-;■ who are now receiving substan- : f \ •■.<,'. .etary benefits from it. Simi- '?>:-;.' the recent request for a statutory -; r.-c; :a- in the license fee. the in- < y w-c to be allocated to the eoinmit- ••■• w-> ■ not put forward by those who -• .1 have to find the money, but by • •■ - -ho will have the handling of Th: : proposal was not put for- '\ '...•■ an affiliated society as a rc- • • u, 'ii.. conference, but was intro- ••■ ■■ "i . urrrpiitiously by a special eom- ■ ■■.'• dominated by research mem,v.d the proceedings appear to .- imp hiithly irregular. If this -< <■ .i ■■ ;., :;vrn effect to by the Gov••.•rr.i.t the matter will pass com- ; '»r.v out rf the hands of acelimalis- ,•: • ;-. '..r-j>iif... and anglers may shortly j .-n themselves saddled with a perman- <: • ■...•rcii/f in license fees, and a ■■<■ ■■•:•.,tt.ee that enjoys 'he unique : ■. -;cgi of administering public ■'-:•■"•. v. :thotit periodically submitting ;• <-'.•' kt re-election. —Yours, etc.. CHRISTCHURCH ANGLER. t v. , ; ,iber 'l3. IMI. •P:-.-.'e-.:or K. Percival staled that f ■- ~iN]j.:>t to determine whether it v.- jo,,,hie to distinguish between ] :.o-.o;-.-reared and naturally proc :.ryn '<■:■ was a worthy object, and ■ ! •• i the:- ':!;e attempt to make such a e M.i-t.on was successful was a mat- '.'.•.- :>;. tin- future. The methods which --.. ■■■. and would be. employed were •■ .-■ erciiuarv metheds of observation :■■•■': a v.-erc familiar to any scientific vh„r; , ;• to any intelligent student. V'r.c ■.:.(. samples collected from i i-.'.i:-:>: i oi,rj;;:oiis could be regarded ■ ■ r.; 0,.■;,;!-,. produced depended upon ■■•..'.;;:'•.• liberations had been made in i '.:.■;.et. It ~ , . , a s quite clear that .'■■.:■: ~!:;;, h..r the purposes of the : o- ,-. . ommittec would not be ; -i 'nrj-i were any doubt.J