ANGLERS’ ASSOCIATION

Evening Star, Issue 21220, 29 September 1932, Page 14

ANGLERS’ ASSOCIATION

ANNUAL MEETING The fifty-first annual meeting of the Otago Anglers’ Association was held in the Returned Soldiers’ Club Building last night, when the President (Mr W. Griffiths) was in the chair. There was a good attendance of members. The annual report and balance-sheet were adopted without discussion. OFFICE-BEARERS. The following office-bearers wore elected for the ensiling year;—President, Mr R. Kay; vice-presidents— Messrs L. Perry, A. H. Templeton, W. A. Raffills, W. H. Wilson, and C. Arnold ; secretary, Mr R. Wilson ; treasurer, Air W. T. Brailey; auditor, .Mr C. A. Wilson; committee—Messrs A. Spears, A. Gillands, J. Alaconie, C. Bedford, W. Flint, F. Alonson, S. B. Sinclair, F. Alayhew, J. N. M'Gill, and T. G. W oir; A! ossrs F. Haskell and D. APLennan were added to the list of patrons. ... In returning thanks for his election, the new President said he would like all members to become working members and to keep in touch with the business done at the meetings. It was intended in future to hold meetings more regularly than had been done in the past, and if there was any member who wished to raise any matter concerning fishing, or who had any complaint to make, he hoped he would attend the meetings and have the matter cleared up. RESEARCH COAIAIITTEE. ’The Chairman referred to a letter received from the New .Zealand Fresh Water Research Committee thanking the association for the assistance it had given the committee. He said the committee had done excellent and appealed to members'to assist by sending in fish scales. . Air C. A. Wilson referred briefly to the work done by the Research Committee. That work, _ lie thought, was very important, and it was most necessary if they were going to keep up their fishing. The associations might be working on entirely wrong lines in much of their work, hut they could not alter things until they had definite reasons for doing, so. The Research Committee was concerned with many matters such as seeing what could be done to increase the size of the fish, and as to whv there were not so many fish ill the rivers as there used to be. Personally, he thought the advent of the motor car and the largely increased number of licenses was largely responsible for that. In days gone by rivers were difficult of access and the food was more plentiful. NETTING IN SHAG RIVER. The Secretary (Air R. Wilson) stated that a petition had been forwarded to the Minister of Internal Affairs protesting against the netting of trout in the Shag River. The association had written to the Minister supporting the petitioners. ... , . Air C. A. Wilson said that nothing could be done in the matter, which, went back to the Treaty of Waitangi, under which the netting of fish was permitted. ' WAIPORI ROAD. The Secretary reported thdt the association had sent a protest to the Otago Motor Club regarding the state of the Waipori road. The Motor Club had replied stating that it had taken the matter up with the Tnapeka and Taieri County Councils. He understood that the road had since been improved. FISHING AT TOMAHAWK. Mr J. Claringbold, curator of ‘the Acclimatisation Society’s hatchery at Waitati, spoke of the fish taken from the Tomahawk Lagoon. Air C. A. Wilson said he had always been opposed to the putting of Leith trout into the Tomahawk Lagoon. Tlie Chairman said anglers were agreed that it was useless putting Leith fish into Tomahawk, hut fish taken from the Alaungatiia Stream or from the Silverstream did very well there. LICENSE FEES. The Clinton Anglers’ Association wrote regarding the preservation of portions of the Pomahaka River for rod fishing, asking why only two-hook tackle was allowed, and suggesting that the cost of licenses should bo reduced by 20 per cent, for the coming year. In regard to fees, it was pointed out that the foes were fixed by Order in Council, and it was agreed that the Clinton Association be informed of that fact. TWO-HOOK CASTS. The question of limiting tackle to two hooks was discussed at considerable length. Air S. Barnes thought there was a serious need to limit the number of fish taken, and he was of the opinion that all the present methods of fishing should not he interfered with, but that the mini her of hooks on each line should be limited. The hours of fishing might be limited, for the best fish were taken at night; but he thought the limiting of the hooks was a better method than the limiting of the hags. He did not think any real objection could be taken to the regulation. A member asked if other societies were introducing similar restrictions, and Air C. A. Wilson replied that some societies were bringing in much more severe restrictions than the Otago body. On the motion of Mr J. Spiro it was agreed to write to the Clinton Association sottiug out the reasons for the introduction of the restrictions.