Proposal To Raise Fish Licence Fees For Coming Season

Greymouth Evening Star, 2 September 1949, Page 8

Proposal To Raise Fish Licence Fees For Coming Season

An increase of 5s in the fishing licence fees for the coming season is among the proposals for amendments to the Fresh Water Fisheries Regulations which were received from the Marine Department at the monthly meeting of the Grey District Acclimatisation Society held last evening. The proposal is to give effect to the request of the South Island societies for uniformity of licence fees with those of the North Island. The local society, while not in favour of the amendment, decided to take no action. ' Provision is also being made that licences shall .not be valid until signed by the holder, and anglers will be required to give a specimen signature for comparison at the request of a ranger. Vermin And Bush Fires In an effort to control vermin and prevent destruction by bush fires it was decided to have painted and erected 50 notices soliciting public co-operation. The society decided to seek the assistance of the Conservator of Forests at Hokitika in erecting the notices, and to ask for a grant toward the scheme. “I don’t think it fair that these fellows should be allowed to ‘declare war’ a week before the season opens as they did last season,” said the act-ing-chairman Mr W. Rothwell, when reports were received of illegal shooting in the Moana district. “This is a likely area for poaching and the society should have a ranger to control the area.” It was decided to investigate the possibility of appointing an honorary ranger in ;the district. A remit from the Waimate Acclimatisation Society to the South Island districts’ conference that. the game season be opened at week-ends only, but spread over May and June, received little support at the meeting, the delegates to the conference being instructed to vote against the proposal. Unattended Nets Illegal In reply to representations regarding whitebait fishers using set traps at the Taramakau river, the Marine Department advised that under regulations made in 1947 it was illegal to leave set traps unattended. The letter stated that the Inspector of Fisheries at Greymouth had been instructed to keep this particular river under close observation during the current season.

. “There are enough licences and controls already, and I am against this proposal,” said a member when the subject of the licensing of shot guns was being discussed. He was supported by other members and it was resolved to take no action on the proposal. Present at the meeting were: Mr W. Rothwell (presiding in the absence of the chairman, Mr C. Logie), Messrs W. Methven, J. Tibbles, W. Smart, A. Dalziel, T. McKay, S. Rodger, G. Hill, F. Myers, R. Boddy, and the secretary Mr M. R. Bunt.