NETTING SALMON AT HIGHBANK

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27916, 13 March 1956, Page 7

NETTING SALMON AT HIGHBANK

DEMONSTRATORS HECKLE WORKERS CROWD OF DEMONSTRATO HECKLE WORKERS The operation of netting salmon m the tail-race of the Hignbank electric power station on the Rakaia river by 20 officials of the Ashburton and North Canterbury Acclimatisation Societies on Friday evening was hindered by about 50 persons, some of whom were spectators and others anglers who objected to the salmon being netted. When an attempt was made to land the nets the crowd surged down to the water’s edge and steadfastly refused to move, threw stones into the net. and challenged the workers to shift them. One of the outspoken demonstrators dared an official to throw him into the water. After repeated requests, which were ignored, for the crowd to move back, the ranger of the Ashburton society (Mr M. M. Orton) sent for Constable G. Dunlop, of Methven, who arrived at 10.30 p.m. Constable Dunlop asked the demonstrators to move back and they complied, but some, urged on by the women in the crowd, continued to heckle the workers. The operation continued with the officials of the societies working in two parties, and about 350 salmon were netted for sale on the Christchurch market. Some of the objectors to the operation came from the Hororata district across the river from the Highbank power station. Members of the Ashburton Acclimatisation Society believe that the demonstration had been organised some time before because of the large number present. A man. employed by the acclimatisation societies, has been camped in the area for some time to stop poaching, and it is thought that this might have been one of the reasons for the demonstration. There had never been any objections of that nature in previous years, said the president of the Ashburton Acclimatisation Society (Mr G. Kelly) last evening. There had been verbal objections in past years by persons who did not fully understand the position. These objectors held fishing licences, and they considered that it was only right that they should catch the salmon and not the society. They failed to realise that they do not pay extra for a salmon licence, and that people who did not fish were entitled o purchase the salmon which were propagated and liberated by the Government at a considerable cost. “These people overlook the fact that the fish would waste and die in the tail-race as they cannot deposit their eggs lor spawning.” said Mr Kelly “The funds derived from the sale of the salmon are used for only one purpose—the stocking of the rivers,’* he said. The runs of salmon had increased to such an extent in recent years that the beds in the upper reaches of the rivers were inadequate to cope with the spawning. The netting took place once a fortnight during the runs, when the water was shut off to enable maintenance work to be carried out on the generators at the Highbank power station. Every endeavour was made to move as many of the salmon as possible to the Rakaia river so that they could proceed to the spawning beds, said Mr Kelly. The night the demonstration took place a net and torch belonging to the Ashburton society were stolen, but no other thefts or incidents of vandalism have been reported. It is believed that the senior fisheries officer for New Zealand (Mr D. F. Hobbs), who was in Ashburton yesterday to attend the annual meeting of the Council of the South Island Acclimatisation Societies, intends to take the matter up with the Police Department in Wellington.