ACCLIMATISATION IN OTAGO

Evening Star, Issue 19778, 31 January 1928, Page 4

ACCLIMATISATION IN OTAGO

MEETING OF SOCIETY’S EXECUTIVE

Last night’s meeting of the executive of the Otago Acclimatisation Society was attended by Messrs A. Cowie (chairman), Aburn, Tennent, Dogshun, Turner, Hutchison, C. Wilson, J. R. Wilson, Reed, Long, and While. MANAGER’S REPORTS. The manager (Mr R. Hanning) reported that a considerable portion of Ranger Campbell’s time had been spent looking for poachers of opossums. He had seized some skins and guns belonging to some person who had been engaged in illegal trapping. Last year’s license to trap opossums had not been issued to those convicted of offences against the regulations. A question had arisen as to what action should be taken regarding the issue of shooting licenses to those who had been convicted of shooting without licenses. Two had had their guns confiscated, and the question arose whether these should be debarred from getting licenses this season. The total number of hawks’ feet sent iu since payment had been decided upon was 5,967 pair, and the amount paid for them was £74 11s iOd. The suggested conference of acclimatisation societies had been abandoned meantime through want of support. The report was received. A further report received from the manager stated that the total number of frv liberated from Clinton this season was T, 256,807. The sales of brown trout eved ova from Clinton totalled 1,332,000. and from Pembroke (rainbow eyed ova) 371,000. The total sales and liberations were 2,960,307. An estimate of the eyed ova nut down to hatch at Clinton was 1,336,000, this including 594,000 brown ova from Pembroke. The cash received to date tor fishing licenses sold this season amounted to £1,855 10s. ANGLING COMMITTEE.

The AnHing Committee recommended that the offer from Mr North to give a small corner of his ground, close to the cottage, be inquired into on the next visit to Clinton. Applications for fry for Miss M'Corkindale and Mr Cotton had been noted. The committee recommended that it be embodied in the regulations that a license holder must carry his license with him when fishing. Messrs Sinclair and Baylee had reported concerning Burgess and Woodford, and also the application ot Mr Barker (Pembroke) for the taking of two heads of water from the Pembroke Creek, Tho .secretary ot _ the Bristol Waterworks Company, Bristol, England, had written advising the safe arrival of a considerable proportion of the brown trout ova sent by the society. The secretary of the Ballarat Fish Acclimatisation' Society wrote enclosing an order for 50,000 rainbow ova. The secretary of the Teviot Angling Club reported as to tho boat shed at Lake Onslow, and the boat on the lake. Mill 1 . H. Arthur, Nugget Bay, wrote regarding a supply of salt water fish for the hatchery. Messrs George K, Humphrey and R, J. Dunning, Makarora, forwarded information about the spawning of rainbow trout in the rivers at the head of Lake Wnnaka. Mr Henry Barker, Pembroke, wrote regarding his application tor the use of water at Pembroke. Air J. Fordo, Garston, wrote agreeing to supply a conveyance, free of charge, for shifting young trout. The recommendations were adopted. GAME COMMITTEE.

The Game Committee recommended that Mr. Baird bo asked to communicate with the society when the pukeko were doing damage to his crops. That those convicted of offences against the opossum regulations and the Animals Protection Act be not granted licenses for the following year, unless the case were an exceptional one. That the manager arrange for the catching of the mallard duck required by the Auckland Acclimatisation ' Society. The department had written regarding deer culling and the part of the animal that should be produced as evidence ot the killing; also asking for recommendations for the 1928 game season. The committee recommended that the season bo the same as last year, from May 1 to June 30, but that the season for pukeko bo tor two months, irom May 1 to June 30, and the season for quail two months from June 1 to July 31, instead of from May 2 to June 30 as last year. The department wrote asking for information relative to red deer, for Professor Huxley, University of Londoii. The committee recommended that cullers be requested to supply the information. The department wrote further granting permission to import swallows from Australia. The manager had been requested to reply to a request from the New Zealand Acclimatisation Societies, Ltd., Wellington, for information about the deer in the Otago district, and also asking for the number of zinc labels for red deer stags’ heads required for the 1928 season. "The North Canterbury Acclimatisation Society wrote regarding the suggested conference, and regretted that, through lack of support, the conference had fallen through in the meantime. The South Canterbury Acclimatisation Society had written stating that it had made application for a close season for opossums. Mr D. Urquhart (Hawea Flat) had written advising that R. Muir had handed in 253 deer tails on account of his Makarora contract. Mr J. C. Bcgg (Roslyn) had written regarding the ranging of the opossum forests. Mr W. A. Dickinson (Kelso) had applied for stalking block 29. This had been granted. Mr A. M’lntosh (Moa Creek) had written advising the despatch of eight young Paradise ducks. The committee recommended that Mr Collins (Hawea Flat) be employed as ranger if occasion arose. The reports were adopted. GENERAL.

Reference to the illegal quail shooting iu the Cromwell district was made by Mr Turner, who suggested that the society should issue a quail shooting license at 10s. There was a number of young fellows in the district who would lake out licenses at the reduced figure, but would shy at a fee of £l. He thought the society should recommend a 10s fee for 1928. lie also said that the proposal to limit a bag of ducks to 10 in place of 25 was hardly satisfactory. An objection should be lodged to that, and a recommendation made not to limit the bag as suggested. Another member of the council remarked that sportsmen would be lucky if they got ten ducks in a day. The society decided to prosecute in a number of cases of alleged fishing without a license. Members took a serious view of the irregularities, which they declared had to be stopped. Another lengthy discussion on the question of the pollution of certain streams, and it was resolved to make a close investigation.