ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

Evening Star, Issue 7298, 24 August 1887, Page 4

ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

A meeting of the Council of the Acclimatisation Society was held at the Government Buildings yesterday afternoon, and attended by Messrs J. P. Maitland (in the chair), Begg, Wilkie, Chisholm, Danson, Carlton, Stoddart, and Deans.

The Rev. Mr Waddell wrote with reference to the importation of birds from Home.—The Council expressed sympathy with the object, but that the Society were not in a financial position to do anything in the matter at present. Mr Donald Reid, solicitor, having written with reference to a notice in the ‘ New Zealand Gazette ’ to proclaim the Lee Stream a water-course for tailings, it was resolved that the Society object to the proclamation being given effect to. Mr John Burt, ranger, wrote stating that the American whitefish was not a failure, as was generally expected. For the last six months he had spent many hours at the pond he placed them in at Clinton, but he did not see any fish until lately, when he was agreeably surprised to see a fish swimming about in the pond, which he succeeded in catching. He would detain it in a box till it could be examined by an expert. Sir Robert Stout wrote, iu answer to a letter from Mr Wilkie, as follows:—“I have read your letter with great pleasure, and I hope that now there is some chance of salmon being acclimatised in New Zealand. I have no doubt that the small sum you ask for keeping salmon in the rivers may be granted by Parliament. I shall bring your request before the Cabinet as soon as Ministers assemble again in Wellington, and let you know what can be done." Mr F. Deans, ranger, reported that the Society had not been so successful in collecting ova as in previous years. On the sth inst., Ranger Burt and himself went to Queenstown for the purpose of an additional supply, and they obtained 1 JO,OOO more ;so that the Society had now about 343,000 brown trout ova. In addition to this, there were about 50,000 Loch Leven trout ova, 1,000 Scotch burn trout ova, and 14,000 American brook trout ova. These lots were nearly all hatched, yielding strong and healthy fry. Some 100 Loch Leven trout and 100 American brook trout had been presented to the Lakes Acclimatisation Society, both lots being one-year-old fish. Ihe quantities of ova sent away to date were as follow;—To the Tauranga Society, 2,000 brook trout ; Acclimatisation Society, Feeding, 3,000 Loch Leven trout; and to Sydney, per Mr Lloyd, 200 brook trout and 1,800 brown trout ova. The first lot had arrived at its destination in good condition; but word had not been obtained as to the result of the other lots.

“Jock Scott” wrote stating that it had frequently been brought under his notice that there were large quantities of brown trout in Otago and lllueskin harbors, and also in Lakes Waihola and Waipori, and that, notwithstanding the stringent regulations against netting these fish, it was a notorious fact that large quantities yearly found their way into the market to be sold privately. He therefore suggested that this season these waters he leased by public auction or tender, q r that a yearly license be charged to fishermen—say of pot more than LI Is—and that fishermen be also charged a nominal license to retail. It was resolved that licenses to net in the Otago Harbor, Blueskin Bay, and Waihola Lake he issued at the rate of three guineas per net, and that licenses to fishmongers to sell trout be issued at LI.