ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY

Evening Star, Issue 20778, 28 April 1931, Page 13

ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY

COUNCIL MEETING The monthly meeting of the council of the Otago Acclimatisation Society was held last night; present—Messrs C. A. Wilson {chairman). H. M'Dowell Smith, J. Hutchison, S. Cousins, W G Reid, J. H. Stewart, S. F. Aburn, R. Rutherford, J Maconie, H. Dodgshun, J. R. Wilson. The Game Committee reported that the Department of Internal Affairs bad written stating that it regretted the decision to have a close season this year for pukeko could not be altered, nor the decision regarding the season for the shooting of Californian quail The department had also written acknowledging receipt of a requisition signed by settlers and sportsmen livir~ on the Taieri Plains, asking that an open season should be declared for pukeko, and saying the request cannot be agreed, to. Telegrams had been sent to local members of Parliament protesting against tin. society losing any more of the opossum revenue. The department had written saying it had been decided to have an open season for opossums this year in the Otago Acclimatisation Society’s district from' noon on Juno 1 to noon on July 16. Members criticised the action of the Government in refusing to agree to a close season for pukeko and in deciding on an open season for opossums. It was also said that the Farmers’ Union had never complained against the quail.—The report was adopted. The Angling Committee reported that action was being taken with a view to having the camping reserve at Timaru Creek gazetted as a permanent camping reserve. The Southland society liad written regarding the pollution of the Mataura and Waikaia Rivers by deposits from mining claims, and it "was decided to support the society in any. action it mglit take. Dr Jenkns had written suggesting bat the upper water of the Waikouaiti be stocked with trout. The .writer will be informed that the upper reaches of the Waikouaiti have been stocked several times. It was the committee’s opinion that there are plenty of rainbow trout already, in Lake Mahinerangi.—The report was adopted. i The district engineer. Public Works Department, wrote stating that the Poolburn dam would be completed in about a month, but would not impound sufficient water for stocking with trout until after the spring thaw in October, He had no objection to the society putting trout in the reservoir.—The letter was received.

The Department of Internal Affairs wrote forwarding a request by C. W. Storer, of Kaitangata. for permission to destroy pukeko damaging his property.—Members referred to the large number of pukeko to be found in many parts of Otago.—lt was decided to make inquiries into Mr Storer’a request. \ The Dndor-Secrotary, Department of internal Affairs, wrote in reply to the society’s letter asking whether a person, to whom a permit to shoot pukeko on his property had been granted, had a right to ask others to take part in the shooting. The reply was that the matter would depend largely on the terms of the warrant issued. Where, however, a warrant was granted to a specified individual authorising him to snoot pukeko on his property, the warrant authorised that individual only, and not only had he no right to ask others to assist him in the shooting but he could not delegate such right to any person working for him. —Received.