ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXVII, Issue 4401, 3 October 1871, Page 2

ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

The monthly meeting of the Council of the Auckland Acclimatisation Society was held yeaterday, in the Mu3eum buildings, at il o'clock. There were present : Messrs. S. Joi»e9 (in the chair), B. Tonks, a. Martin, T. B. Hill, W. J. Palmer, Burtt, and S. Morrin; and the secretary, Mr. T. Kirk. Proposed Horticultural Show.— Mr. Tonks brought under the notice of the meetiug the Horticultural Show proposed to be be held in November next, and stated that Mr. Gordon, the Secretary of the Agricultural Society, had requested him to announce that the New Zealand Agricultural Society would be willing to give £10 towards the expenses of the show, besides other amounts in the shape of prizes. He thought some stops should be taken to bring the proposed scheme to a successful issue. If that were done he had no doubt it would induce many ladies to attend the exhibition, which would otherwise be uaatfcrtotive to them. Yellowhammers. — It was stated that thero were 19 yellowhammera under the charge of the Society. After some discussion, it was resolved to turn them out at Waiuku. Hares. — Some discussion arose upon the propriety of liberating the hares lately imported. It was ultimately decided to turn them out where the other ones were. Australian Quail. — It was stated there were 26 brnce of Australian quail for disposal, and it was asked what would be done with them. — The Secretary stated that there was a demand for them amongst the Southern provinces, and if a little time were allowed he thought they might all be disposed of in, tho Southern provinces. — It was decided to allow them to remain in the gardens some time longer. Gravel. —It was stated that gravel for garden walks was much required. Now that the summer was coming on something would have to be done to put thorn in repair, as many visitors might be expected to the gardens. —In auswer to a. question, tho Secretary stated that the cost would be about 2s. per load. — It was ordered that the quantity required be obtained. Salmon Ova. — A letter was read from Honolulu, written by Mr. "W. Bonar, stating that he expected to return to the colony from Britain about the month of December. He offered his services in bringing out salmon ova to the province upon certain conditions. Always presuming that the Society at London would give the ova free, he proposed to bring out ova on the following conditions : — (1) That the Society pay the coat of the boxes required ; (2) that the cost of the ico required be defrayed by the Socioty ; and (3) that, if he landed alive a fair proportion of the ova which were shipped, he should get £50 from the Society as a recompense for his tronble. — Mr. Palmer thought the cost would be too great for them to undertake. — The Chairman said salmon had not yet done well in Tasmania. Although the ova had been hatched for a considerable time, not one had been seen. Ho saw some fish which were thought to be salmon, but there was no doubt they were only large trout. — Mr. Tonks was of opinion that they should not go to the expense mentioned, unless they had first a guarantee that the salmon in tho Southern seas had been a success. It would be much cheaper to get salmon from California and Orogon. — Several members said the salmon got there were of a very inferior quality, compared with the British salmon. — Mr. Tonka replied that they might be so, but they were infinitely superior to> any fish they hail beio at present. — It was ultimately decided that Mr. Bonar bo written to, and instructed to bring out some American birds, which would be named to him, and that the London and New York agents of the Society bo m-jfci noted to advance tho necessary i uwla to Mr. Bonar for the purchases ho might make. Sparrows. — Mr. Burfct drew the attention

of the meeting to the injury the sparrows were doing to tho peach-tree blossoms. Ho had watched them for soino time, aud had seen thorn uipping off tho blossoms. Ho had olso looked at tho blossoms and the ruptured atom with the glass*, and fouud them quite souud and healthy. The protection of the Sociecy should be withdrawn from the sparrows. If they spread in tho country districts and did proportionate damage, tho country settlers would destroy them, and ho thought it would be best to make a virtue of a necessity. — Mr. Hill said the sparrows were quite able to protect themselves. —The Chairman thought Mr. Burtt must bo labouring undor souio mistake. He had not seen tho sparrows do any damage yet, and had as fair an opportunity of proviugj them as many. lie had constructed a number of boxes for them, and there were about 200 now living in those boxes. Ho had asked at his garden a few days ago whether any injury was being dono to auy of tho fruit trees, and none could be found after a very careful search. — Mr. Palmer said there was no doubt but tho peach blossoms iv mauy districts were much destroyed this year, hut he thought ifc was to be attributed to the strong winds and unusually severe winter rather than to the birds. He had first thought the injury waa dono by tho blight-bird, but ho behoved tho real cause was the wind. In his own gardeu in exposed places the troea were nearly stripped of blossoms, but in sheltered corners the trees wero quito covered with blosaoioa. — On the suggestion of Mr. Tonks She matter waa not pressed to a division, but adjourned to tho next meeting.

I Carp. — Some conversation euaued respecting thu carp iD the ponds in the Domain. The Chairman said there must now be many hundreds there— sufficient to send them all over the province. —On the suggestion of Mr. Palmer, the mode of distributing them j was left to a future meeting, until the ponds were begun to bo cleaned.

Conversational. — A. desultory conversation ensued respecting the damage that cats and dogs were doiug iuthe Domain — robbing ne9ts and killing birds. It was suggested that the Secretary should write to the Domain Board, drawing their attention to the number of dogs which had been seen lately in tho Domain, and request thorn to take steps to abate the nuisance. — 11l answer to Mr, Burtt, the Secretary stated that thoy would not have so many silkworm eggs this year as when they started. A large number bad been destroyed by mice, and a good many had proved not to be good. — The proposal to assist in getting up a horticultural society was agaiu brought up, and it was suggested that £5 should be given in prizes for plants, and another £5 for poultry. Dogs were also mentioned as an attractive element to conjoin with the coming agricultural show ; some members seemed to bo in favour of the proposal, and others against it. —Mr. Palmer stated that there was a balance of some £15 on hand from the defunct Horticultural Society. That sum might also bo got to aid in the scheme. It was thought th« praper way to use that balance would bo to form a new Horticultural Society. No resolution was come to on th© subject. — Tho meeting then separated.

The Thames Advertiser states that the Right Rev. T)r, Uowio, Bishop o£ Auckland, who arrived at the Thamc3 on Saturday evening, prcaohed on Suuday in St. George's Chnrch.