ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY

Evening Star, Issue 23270, 19 May 1939, Page 1

ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY

SUCCESSFUL SEASON'S WORK

The Otago Acclimatisation Society will present what is in most departments a very pleasing report to mem-bers-at its annual meeting on Monday, May 29. Some of the more interesting, results of tie year’s activities are as follows; ‘ ...... The revenue for the year ended March 31, 1939, amounted to ,£3,831 8s Id. Last year the amount waa £3,025 9s 7d. The principal increases are: Fishing licenses, £194 8s; shooting licenses, £95 13s; sales of trout ' ova. £378 5s 6d; and an amount of £l2O Is 9d for opossum revenue for the 1937 season received during the current year. The total of the accumulated funds of the society at March 31 is £6,158 15s Bd, as against £5,901 6* 2d on March 31, 1938. FISHING. The number of licenses sold for the 1938-39 season totalled 2,676—221 more than the previous year. _ Men’s whole-, season licenses show an_ increase of 50, men’s half-season an increase of .53i hoys’ and girls’ an increase of 84, and , ladies’ an increase of 35. These increased sales are very gratifying, and indicate that the sport of angling maintains a well-deserved popularity in the society’s district. Very changeable weather was experienced during the greater part of the past angling season, the spring being rather dry, with low rivers, while summer was cold and wet, with much wind. Conditions improved towards the latter part of the season, and most rivers were in good trim for the final months. Reports generally go to show that most anglers experienced quite a good season, So far as the collecting of green trout eggs was concerned a better season was experienced in 1938 than in the previous year. Eggs were as usual , collected at Hayes Creek (Lake Hayes), and in the Leith, and also from the Scotchburn fish kept at the hatchery, GAME. For the 1938 season, tha number of licenses sold totalled 995, 646 of those being disposed of at the various post offices in our district where licenses were procurable, -79 in the society’* office, and the number sold by our various agents was 270. As compared with.’ the 1937 season, when 897 licenses were purchased, the number sold last season shows an increase of 98. After several disappointing years th# council is definitely pleased, with the number of young pheasants reared at the society’s gam© farm in, 1938-39. Jfc warmly commends f the curator and his assistants on the ■ excellent . results achieved, notwithstanding that they were, handicapped by 'the most nnfavq.‘tra!i> for ■uiiie years-. This pleasing result was achieved only' by the unremitting attention of the hatchery staff. It is hoped that from now onwards, with the knowledge and experience already gained.equally good if not better results will be achieved in the future. For some reason shooters reported a marked diminution in the numbers of quail in the district in 1938. Whether this was the result of overshooting of the birds in previous seasons is nob known, but it probably had some effects