ACCLIMATISATION WORK

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXV, Issue 163, 26 June 1935, Page 11

ACCLIMATISATION WORK

Hawke’s Bay Activities ■APPEAL FOR MEMBERSHIP A review of the past year’s activities of the Hawke’s Bay Acclimatisation Society is contained in the annual report ot the president, Mr J. H. Edmundson. Among other things, his report states: — The revenue received from membership subscriptions was £l3 11/- in excess of last year s and from tishing and shooting licences £2 6/6. Although the slight improvement shown is encouraging, the receipts still lag a long way behind those of pre-earthquake jears. Your committee wishes to thank those members who are so loyally standing to the society at a tune when their help and interest was never more essential. Finance.—Excluding the farm property, the receipts from all sources amounted to £11720 17/11, and the expenditure to £1092 13/9. The excess of expenditure over receipts is therefore £7l 15/10. NOT SATISFACTORY. The membership of the society shows that there are 93 members on the roll. The response lor enrolment ot new members is not as satisfactory as it should be. in regard to membership, the contention ot many sportsmen that it costs a member one guinea per annum extra for the same privileges as enjoyed by a licence-nolder is, in a measure, correct and on its face value the latter has the better of the deal. It is doubtful, however, if the value of a man to a society can be measured by that standard. The man who purchases a licence generally does so for hi* own personal gratification, and has little thought or sympathy fur the development of acclimatisation matters generally. Members are looked upon as men who take the broader view and wish to do all in their power to assist the society in its efforts to acclimatise birds and fish, without which any province would be very poorly off. Membership creates a permanent organisation from which good men who will give freely of their time and ability are chosen as executive members. To pay for these comprehensive activities more money is required than can be obtained from licence holders; hence the membership fees, which enthusiasts are keen to subscribe. Without thio spirit prevailing no society can last. An urgent appeal is made to all lovers of sport controlled by the society, even though it means some personal financial sacrifice. Messrs H. M. Bishop and T. V. Motrin attended the 20th. conference of the New Zealand Acclimatisation Societies’ Association, held in Wellington, as delegates of this society. The remits as put forward by vour committee were as follow: (1) That fishing in the Taupo district be prohibited in and within a radius of 500 yards of the mouth or mouths of the rivers running into the lake between the hours of 8 p.m. and 5 a.m.; (2) that the limit in the Taupo district be seven fish per day for any one person: (3) that the use of a gaff be prohibited in the Taupo district and a net be . used as a means of landing fish; (4) that wading be absolutely prohibited in the Waitahanui river; waterproof boots to the knee only permitted; (5) that the right to epin between Hell’s Gates and the Huka Falls on the Waikato river be restored.

AMALGAMATION QUESTION. A remit which caused a great deal of interest and was finally adopted was the proposal to amalgamate a number of smaller societies which, owing to a limited finance, were unable to function efficiency. At a meeting of representatives of societies of the North Island held at Palmerston North subsequently, the Taranaki, Stratford, Hawera, Wanganui and Waimarino Societies agreed to amalgamate as one society to represent the whole western district. The Central Fresh Water Research Committee continues its work of research in the study of trout food supply in rivers and lakes, the result of which must ultimately prove of great value to future generations of anglers. The importance of research is becoming more generally recognised by societies, and your committee regrets that progress has been retarded for want of funds just at the stage when it was essential the scope of the Research Committee activities should be widened. Owing to lack of financial support this committee was compelled to abandon all field work. The Minister of Internal Affairs while expressing every sympathy with the work already done and the value to the country of further research, could not under present economic conditions promise any financial assistance from the Government. As a result of a recommendation to the Minister from the executive of the New Zealand Acclimatisation Societies Association he agreed from opossum revenue received by societies that £5OO be allocated for the purpose of research work, thus assuring a continuation of the work meanwhile.