HOKITIKA NOTES

Grey River Argus, 9 July 1927, Page 2

HOKITIKA NOTES

(Our Own vurrspondent). HOKITIKA, July 8. To-day the following Westland footballers left for Westport by motor to represent the West Coast against Biller to-morrow in a match which loial football votaries expect to see th ‘in win:—Messrs McCleary. King, Dougherty, Houston, Tainui, I’hahh rt, Freitas, Devaney, and Kinlock 'the last-named being the emergency lack for the team). The annual ball of the Hibei'iiiaii Society takes place in the Soldiers’ Hall on Wednesday evening. Excellent arrangements have been madi, and patrons are assured of a good evening’s enjoyment. The music will be in the capable hands of Ross’ Orchestra. Another sawmill has closed down at Kokatahi, and one at Woodstock is faced with the same alternative, owing to lack of orders. More Westland mills are in a serious position due to the absence of orders and the piling up of reserve stocks, for which orders are not forthcoming. It is hoped. there will be an early indication, of the i Government’s intentions regarding the importations. Hereabouts there arc a hundred and fifty mill workers at present out of their regular employmentThe Postmasters at Hokitika am Kumara have notified the following opossum trapping licenses had bee’ issued for 1927 season: —W. J. Edgar A. Appleton, G. Appleton, Hokitika. P. Webster, G. Webster, J. Foste , Rimu; G. Kitto. 11. Hammond, Wain hinihi; A. G. Greatbatch, Kokatah ; J. Touhey, Hokitika; J. Lee, Wainihin - hi; D. Reid, Hokitika; A. Gold, Tlui - ph revs; A. G. Rodgers, G. Stronach, Millers’ Flat; S. Slater, Lake KaiTTer ; R. Wilson, Humphreys; A. Wroblesfsl i, Kokatahi; AV. Owens, G. Morris, J. Morris, Kanieri; W. Holley, B. B ldulph, Hokitika; D. J. Agnew, Arahui G Geo. Harcourt, Humphreys; A. Krak'd vsky, Kanieri; C. Tulloch, J. Cook, La <e Kanieri; R. Steel, R. Gambirazzi, Gol borough; A. Cain, Kanieri; W. R Lillian, Goldsborough; F. Havill, K; deri Forks: P. Noame, Kumara; C. Mi Is’. F. Havill, jun., Kanieri Forks; i A Appleton, Hokitika; E. Merewet’cr, Stafford; S. J. Godfrey, Koiterangi: A. Muir, F. Martin, Arahura; G. T H, Hokitika; A. IT. Edwards, Arahura: O. Haussmann. Hokitika: A. Straight H. Sinclair, Kumara. The following -crmits to trap on occupied holdings l ave been issued by the Acclimat isa’ion Society:-—D. C. Finch. Chesterfield: G. Noble, Blue Spur; John Muir, Aralvra; M. Stewart, Goldsborough; W. J. J hnI stun, Kokatahi; P. Olsen, Humph -vs; 1,1. McDonald. Kumara; E. Ty icy, ('hristchur'. h Road; A. Hamilton, \ra I burn; W. 11. Batson, Kumara; J. Harvey, Arahura; A. Griffin, Wainil ibi; Wm. Mills, Humphreys; J. J. Pam i ‘nt, Kumara; A. Richards. Arahura: G. Fitzgerald, Waiuiliinihi; G. Hunt Kumara; E. Cook, Kumara Junction; /. J. Houston, Arahura; W. O ’Brien,./ Kokallalii; A. Schumacher, (T.ristjc arch ; At the Acclimatisation Socictw i 'eting last night tb.u quest ion of op® ng a i short length of load towards © rothv I Palls from the end of the pr<*s(| ‘ road ar Hans Bay, Kanieri ImU . w|- mentioned, it being in iicate I Hmi j Disliiict Engineer of the Public V| s DeI pariment was recommending al '• subsidy for the work. The routes as, approved. it would he the m.‘uf> of relieving the. present congesiio® at the Landing, which is not consider desirable, il.ut locality being th' 1 s< tree of lhe town waLi supply. I .is resolved to vote .t7o to the < Coun ci! for the work, anti io ass 3 bods to Qarry out rhe eonstru 1 I i<>Q, :i con junction with lhe Pul ! c Wo:l| lopartmeiit. As a me:. ;.s : >f i .dIJ a m ■ 1 1 sure of employment, it uasj: g.‘>: ' the work be pul in liar ! 1$ ’■ 1 convenient. A | n *' : ward t o place some u. 1 ~ $ — 01 Lake Kanieri. Home i.l'icj.t .s \ er< ' raised, and the nriHi'r ” pj A« • • s amount ing to V4l 17> i \-rit passed for payment. I 1 >< ■(• ti’)n with the H:’.tch< i*y 1$ age-men! vvii! 11l- -l.vi.li; l.l'lli'tei lin eoiiiH.'i-l ion will' lk." Gfe( k-m-ioly I t'uiictionbig :'iT ni'ily. S' visit had , !...<• 11 |i:ii.l liiii'ing !'. L mon*'. k> ’.ln I ini.-ii. r;.. Al 1 i’ll A. .-limai is.'l ion Sc > y .no I ion in i 0\... I. .it I kero " "re ' ''- y;... i , i; . I , i ■ r - i(R ' i.i. no! Perry, R. Appleton, W. £ Idon, R V'. I’e. k. J. .!. M .■ I litosli, jl I'. I'n rry, I >. J. Eva is iiiiil Dr Tcicllf’ inn. T'k.e Murine I><•,:. rt 11 si> that r. e t ipii a oil .ill uni v>• i: .1 li.'l h ■ m n\. il'g I a I" :'.;. H' .11 Du’ .. .. , i • ■■■' ...... |s: i. Ml oi ■ i; i I, a - r. 11 11: ' 'I : ■" st£ ■ o ' ?' ‘ l' l D.oni" not. | A ci- ■. nssioii < sin ■! irwi ir.l to I Ikimiiits ol' ouiiinni. ‘ I’B reni.-i ikon the fish o'i’re a imt trov.t, teat this ■ not regarJeJ tiling of a nienace. An :c .*u s-lloo.ing iireiise is-:-" i - rs: —A. D. M n v< •• k. Ui'kTi' l ”'- '■ reports ~. vil. 11 " aS, ' ed I Ivi I in '1925 tiio numlier of lie/n - r were 21: last year 73; anil this yffi s:> far) 46: (villi' 21 perinits. Tho nestion of amen.liiig th..' regnl:i> .ow gnriiing the issue of perinits was mei ned, but at the present stage no act -was iaieen. The Department of I -mil Affairs advised tli.it no netioriy : ,o lie t.iki n meanwhile in the liberati of opossums in South Westland. /To Direetor of ' Forestry wrote regrtfttn the decision : given in the letter fr i the Department of Internal A. irs. as the Forest Service is strove y- , ( f oidnioii tliat in tl'-e interests of . remising industry opossums should A liberated to improve the stock an. introduce the animal in the more rem. State forests. The decision of the Go ■ nment in the matter was regretted, estaldishmg of opossums in the f- hern district being considered of' c nercial value to the locality and the <■ entry at large. The Tourist. Depart™ wrote with regard to the loading : Lake Kanieri, stating that the, Publ Works Department estimated the c at £l6OO, and as the road was col -red purely '■ tourist one, the presei vas considered an inopportune time I - ommenee operations. Mr Melnto: expressed the view that a road by ■ ay of Dorothy Falls, in the Styx, :u ~/(> the Kokatnlii Valley, would 1 ;l very popular run with all classes notorists local and tourists. It w: onsidered this project should be lo o in view. Mr Rex. J. Dunning, Ms- .:,-a, reported on Ilmist Pass Track, ; -h required at- ’ tention on Um 'WestAi.q side, and recommending the Btii Hut be rebuilt on a more suitable in. It was decid- ■ ed to semi to the ' nrist and PAY. , Departments tin end . lament of the recommendations. lir I-;. James, Ranger, ' Makarora, enquired with regard to the '-shooting of deer on: , r season and the 'lfinding of pigeon f-nihers near a priy vate house. lhe llanger is to be asked

to supply full particulars to the. resi lent police officer.

Whitebait Industry.

REPORT OF RESEARCH COMMITTEE. Mr G. Howe, Secretary of the Research Committee recently set up to advise the Westland. Acclimatisation Society in regard to the w’hitebait industry at, Hokitika, is fot'warding to the Society the finding of the Committ. 'C, d £opy which is as follows: The Chairman and Members of the Westland Acclimatisation Society:— Deir Sirs, —At the request of your Society, a committee of the most experienced whitebait fishers in Westl?nd was selected by tl'.c fishermen at a meeting, arranged by your Societ 1 eld on the 22nd June, to deal with lhe points raised by the letter from .he Marine Department in connection with the whitebait industry. We submit the following report; The run of fish depends on the weather, which affects the state of the rivers. The weather has been variable, sometimes delaying, and at other times extending the 'season. Warm spring weather, with not longer than ten days without rain, and with small floods at intervals has proved to bo the best conditions. The best runs are always in evidence before an approaching storm. Strange to relate, on these occasions, the fish are more massed and travel at twice the speed of ordinary times, and are more easily netted. To our knowledge, there are two distinct species of whitebait. One species is the long, clear fish, with a black dotted line, extending from the head to the tail; these fish run the whole period of the season; while the other species are shorter and much stouter fish, with a yellowish tint, and rarely make more than four or five runs during a season, and are known to the fishermen as the •\;clley fish” species. They are a much superior quality of fish to the former. From our knowledge, whitebait travel in the north-west direction in huge shoals. This is demonstrated by the fact that swarms of sea-birds are to lie seen following the shoals along the coast, feeding on them, often right into the river-mouths. These birds continue to follow the main shoals as they continue south. The whitebait begin to run usually in August, and continue to the middle of December, the greater runs taking place from about the 20th September until the lOth of November. In good seasons the fish have been known to be plentiful from the middle of August until the middle of December, the length of season depending entirely on weather conditions. The late whitebait, at the end of November, are of a poor quality, being very poor in condition, ano thev travel in small bunches with their heads almost out of the water. ith, regard to the theory that Tnauga are lhe parent, fish of whilebait, we arc unable to throw much light on the problem, as whitebait run from Jily anti! December, a period of six months, uid the Inanga spawn in March. It is difficult to believe the early ■whitebait in July and the late whitebait in December can be the spawn of the -‘ame fish. Naturally the late whitebait in December would be expected to be much larger fish than those of the early period of the season, but tho position is quite the reverse. Then again, there life more than one species. RECORD FOR 20 SEASONS. The Committee are much obliged for H.' l following records, kindly su]»plied by Mr W. Howe, of Hokitika: — 1907, opened 2 !th August, •iid-el lioth November; a good season: factory a', times unab'e to cooe with up ply; enormous qusi.tiiies of vJiile bait pairing i pstream. Season J9oB—Fish comnu'nu'd to run 9,lst August, eri<l up; li7fh Xovcraber; a f i ;• season. Iral, owing to the low .itate of Hie river, quaidit ie.s of whitebait passed upsUe:;oi. t’.e <■ not being ■nough current to catch them. ]flu9 Heuson.--Opened August; aded 28rh November; a wry Imd >c.i mn; one of the poorest < ” record. 1910 Season. —Commenced 21’nd Au gust; uided 2’jHi November; a good .-•a-en. IT h mien cesse-l catch i:g for five days owing to factory being oversupplied. 1911 Season. —Commenced in August and ended 27th November; a poor season; much bad weather. 1912 Season. —Opened 26th August and ended 25th November —a poor season. Season 1913.—Commenced 12th August and ended 30th November; a good season, weather conditions most favourable. Season 1914. —Commenced 6th September; a big season, great quantities of fish passing upstream, owing to factory being unable to cope with UySeason 1915.—Commenced on 15th August and ended 29th November, a very poor season; much bad weather; no fishing at all from IGth September until 29th September. Season 1916.—Commenced Ist September, and closed 12th October; a fair season, but the shortest on record. Season 1917.—Commenced 28th August, ending 26th November; weather conditions very favourable, but* a poor season. Season 1918.—Commenced Sth August and ended 9th December; one of the best seasons on record. Season 1919.—Commenced 25th August and ended 28th November; a fair season. Season 1920.—Commenced 23rd August and ended 18th December; a moderate season. Season 1921.—Commenced 16th August and ended 16th November; a good season. The following official records as supplied by the local Inspector of Fisheries: Season .1922, 47,000 ]bs, valued £2000; season 1923, 32 tons, value £3,500; season 1924, 52,650 lbs, value £2,363 10s; season 1924, 94,595 lbs, value £8,904 7s 6<l, this season being undoubtedly the greatest season on record, as apart from the quantities recorded, enormous amounts of fish were allowed to pass up stream, owing to factory and Christchurch markets being glutted. Season 1926. —Moderate, no figures available; weather conditions most unfavourable, the rivers being continually in high flood. 1 It is the opinion of tho Committee,

who have sought much information on this subject, dating back over a number of years, that there is no decrease in the runs of whitebait as the season 1925 proves conclusively. After viewing these facts, we recommend no alterations other than the present regulation governing the whitebait industry. (Signed)—G. Howe (Secretary). The above report was presented to the Westland Acclimatisation Society last evening, and was received as a valuable one, which was generally concurred in. Mr Braddon gave some interesting particulars regarding the run of other small fish in conjunction with the seasonal advent of the whitebait, remarks which were supplemented by other speakers, who spoke of the results when keeping whitebait in captivity for a period to remark on their changes. It was resolved that a copy of the report be forwarded to the Marine Department with a recommendation that no restrictions be placed on the taking of whitebait in Westland district waters this season. It was mentioned also that the whitebait season would also be a welcome means of affording additional employment in the district this year. ______