VOTE ON FUTURE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22623, 28 April 1948, Page 6

VOTE ON FUTURE

CAUTION_ HEEDED NO SUDDEN CHANGE ROD AND GUN DEBATE 'l'lle future of the East Coast Acclimatisation Society was do- j bated by members at the annual meeting in the Bon Accord rooms last night. A notice of motion presented by Mr A R. Mines, that the time was immediately opportune for the society to offer all its authority and assets to the Internal Affairs Department for the department to take over the administration of the district and incorporate it yrith tne Rotorua district, was lost by 44 votes to 22. Members favoured a more cautious approach, particularly as the society s assets totalled £IOOO, and it was decided to institute inquiries to ascertain what actual benefits would accrue to license-holders of the district, under departmental administration, the council being instructed to report back to the next general meeting. •Bone of Contention For Years” Asking the metting to study the situation with a broad outlook, Mr. Mines, in support of his motion, said he understood it had been a “bone of contention" for some years that the East Coast and Rotorua acclimatisation districts bounded so closely. In the East Coast district game was scarce and trout scarcer. Trout existed only in the remote pools and duck in the remote dams and lagoons. Rptorua had thrown in its lot with the Internal Affairs Department and the situation there was greatlv improved. Because he was a council member he did not wish it thought that he was being disloyal to the district or to the society. Mr. Mines said that phase ut the work of the Internal Affairs Department was being placed in a very sound basis with a new conservator of game and the incorporation of modern methods. He claimed intimate knowledge of the situation in a number of acclimatisation society districts in which he had been stationed and told the meeting that where it had been decided to invite the department to take over, the stocking of rivers and figures relating to the liberation of game had improved considerably. Mr. Mines surveyed briefly what the department could do for the East Coast where it was customary for members to become dual license-holders at present. The boundaries would be limitless for trout fishing and shooting, ne said. Large-scale liberations would be made bv the department. He understood that some suggestion of the kind had been made previously, but it had been defeated because u, some objection on the part of the Waiapu society. If that were the case he suggested that Gisborne members should not consider the Waiapu society. Scientific research was doing much and that was largely through the efforts of the Internal Affairs Department, Mr. Mines continued. Would Increase Territory In short, it would mean an increase in territory, reduction in expenses, permanent officers, nearly total protection and scientific investigations. “The society is a disappointing outfit in the process of stagnation.” Mr Mines said. "Do you wish to see it deteriorating daily or yearly or do you wish to hand over to our children a heritage with plenty of fish and game? Are we to bungle or hand over a handsome heritage?” “We are wasting our time in any system of liberation of trout in our rivers if we don't afford protection which is efficient in the off-season,” said Mr. A. Blackburn, who seconded the motion. He paid a tribute to Mr. C. Breingan and his work as ranger, but thought the services of a full-time man could well be employed. Mr. Blackburn said he did not think it would mean an end' of the present [organisation as it would be required as lan advisory body to work in collaboration with the department. “A Serious Step" “If half the benefits he promises us would accrue as a result of our amalgamation with the Rotorua district it i would be a desirable state of affairs,” jsaid Mr. F. Wrey Nolan in reply to Mr. | Mines, but he suggested that the notice : was 100 short for members to have (given the subject much serious thought. I He moved an amendment that it be a recommendation to the council to inivestigate the benefits or otherwise of i amalgamation with Rotorua and report |to the next annual general meeting of I the society. I “A step such as this is a serious one I and once we were merged with Rotorua I there would be no question of coming lout again,” he said, suggesting that the | department was doing an especially (good job in Rotorua because of the lure of trout-fishing to the tourist, j The decline in bags of fish was general and applied as much to Rotorua and Taupo as it did to any other part ,of the Dominion. As the Rotorua disI trict extended into the Wairoa area, he ! suggested that the council could inquire I from members in that area to see just I what had been done for them. The ; views of th» North Island Acclimatisajtion Council also would be of value. | “It would be a pity if we rashly jumped into a change such as this before we know a little more and exactly what a change such as this would mean,” Mr. Nolan said. There was the matter of a substantial asset in the form of £IOOO held by the society and accumulated by much careful work on the part of the council. Supposing that were handed over to the department it would be impossible to know whether £IOO or the full £IOOO was spent in the East Coast district. Council Complimented Mr. C. B. Mossman seconded the amendment and said some aspects of the motion were “unfair” to the society. The speaker complimented the council on its work to date. He had never known the council do better work than it had been doing lately. Shortage of game was general. In his opinion, the time was most inopportune to make the suggested move. Mr. A. B. C. Steele also supported the amendment and said the motion amounted to one of a lack of confidence in the acclimatisation society as it was at present constituted. Mr. C. B. Barland said that the £IOOO belonged to the district. Licenseholders had no wish to hand that money over to the department with “no strings attached.He agreed that the policy of the department should bp inquired into before action was taken. Supporting the motion, Mr. F. Stevenson said it appeared that there would be 12 months' stagnation if the amendment were carried. “Mr. Mines stated some facts that arp hard to get away from, but he also painted a rosy picture one can smile at," said Mr. F. R. Ball in support of the amendment. He claimed that Mr. Mines had taken ■ all the favourable aspects of a recent address made by Mr. C. McNamara, Conservator of Fish and Game, Roto-

rua. while visiting Gisborne, and had made no mention of the difficulties that would be faced by the department. It had been stressed, for example, that rangers were in short supply and if took about five years to train suitable men for that work. “I am in sympathy with the motion as a motion,” said Mr. Ball, "but we want to know where he are heading and what benefits we would get in the near future.” Duck Feeding Grounds Gone As far as the duck problem was concerned the feeding grounds were gone in the East Coast district, he continued, and the rivers and streams had been denuded of cover and shelter for ducks. No matter what problem had to be faced license-holders of the district could not hope for any great improvement for years by joining up with Rotorua. , , , He added that the country had been denuded of pheasant cover. He suggested that the council should make the necessary inquiries and report hack to a special meeting in three or six months. ' The secretary, Mr. M. J. White, said he felfethat the council would not agree to a period of inactivity until a decision was reached. It would still go on with the breeding of pheasants. In regard to the monetary side, he said the Government would get £SOO annually from the license-holders and he did not agree that the £IOOO should be handed over to the department. Mr. F. Matthcwson said he had been visiting Rotorua for a period and year after year lire fishing had been getting worse there. It was unwise to paint too rosy a picture of this districts mcoiporation with Rotorua. , , Mr. 11. Boddington said he had made a number of inquiries and suggested that the situation should not be v *ewea with a “parochial eye.” He supported the amendment. , , On being put, the amendment was carried by 44 votes to 22 and was carried by a two to one majority as the motion.