HAWERA ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXIX, Issue LXIX, 27 May 1915, Page 6

HAWERA ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

ANNUAL MEETING

The animal meeting of the Hawera Acclimatisation Society was held in the Borough Chambers on Wednesday evening. Tnere was a good attendance of members, and Mr- 0. Goodson .(president) occupied the chair. Apologies for absence were received from Messrs B. G. Bennett and AY. J. Bell.

PRESIDENT'S REPORT.

The President's report was as follows: *'I submit to- you the balance-sheet for the year ended March 31st, 1915, accompanied by a report submitted to me by the secretary. These speak so fully -£or- themselves that I do not wish, at Uie'"moment, to add anything thereto. So tar as my written report is concerned I only desire to make one Or two remarks affecting the employees of the Society, whether honorary or otherwise. Mr Wilton J. White is our. honorary secretary, and as such I consider his efforts are illustrated by tne lMtlanee-sheet." We have in the past, arid for several years, voted our previous secretaries £25 per annum. It is for the meeting to say what bonus Mr White shall receive. I simply say •that Mr White has been most exemplary in the conduct of his duties." As.to Mr Andrew Kean, the curator* he has, as in the past,, conducted his duties in the most satisfactory manner, and between these two officers lies greafy the improvement" in the Society's position; If'we continue on 'the conditions' indicated in the balance-sheet, +be prospects of -the Society ara still very good." • ,

SECRETARY'S REPORT

The secretary reported as follows: I .jhaye 'to'^ubmit to you for your approval 'The balance-sheet for the year ended 31st March, 1915, which, has been audited and certified to be1 correct, and ■which shows the Society to be on a bet- j ter footing than it has been for the past few years. Sales have increased very considerably, having amounted to over £70. License fees have increased l>y £20 over last year; more fish have teen hatched. We have had a very successful season.at the hatcheries, andi therefore a larger number-of fry and yearlings' have been, liberated in the local streams than ever before in any •one season. In making a comparison ] between this year's balance-sheet and that of last year I give you a summary ■which will in suceierit I'ornl show the relative position under the main heads of receipts and expenditure. In-this eummary I do not attempt to embrace | the details which are shown in the respective balance-sheets. . Receipts: — 1914: Cash in hand, £11 2s od (1915— £50 2s 8d);. shooting licenses, £ft 6 14s <£95 11s); fishing licenses, £98 17s 6d (£ll4 Ss); sale of fry and pheasant yearlings, nil (£65). Disbursements: — 1914: Curator. £150 (£150); secretary, £25; livers, £11-2s (£lO 6s\ sundr? expenses, £13 16s 9d (£8 2s sd); printing and advertising, £22 (£l2 1&>); telephones, nil £(4 14s 2d); affiliation fee (2 years), nil (£4 4s 6d); travelling expenses (curator), nil (£6 17s 4d). Liabilities. £8 Is 4d (nil). AsseiP. £426 2s 5d (£487. 8s sd). I personal]as your secretary, desire to thank all those members who so willingly formed, themselves into working bees last winter and assisted in liberating yearlings and fry, and also in netting perch. Orders came freely to, hand during the year for perch, but unfortunately only a very limited number was obtainable, «o it was therefore considered advis- . able io stock Mr Goodson's dam in Sigh street for the breeding of same, and I am pleased to report that the small fry have done exceptionally well and your society can look forward to obtaining a good asset therefrom. The breeding of pheasants has not done so . well as was hoped, but we have a good" number of fine, healthy young birds on hand. Last season we had gazetted as a sanctuary 2500 acres of land at Ararata, where we liberated nine strong young birds, and so hope to increase the condition and quality of the pheasants and provide good sport for the shooter.

The president said he had much pleasure in moving the adoption of the report and balance-sheet. It was the most successful balance-sheet for the past three years, and this satisfactory position was due mainly to the energies of tne secretary and the curator. The whole responsibility in the success of the society rested upon these two officers. He considered that the society had one of the finest river 6porting grounds in the Dominion, and if they could keep this contiually before the public their licenses were sure to increase. The association had made a profit of £50 on the year's working, which was very creditable indeed.

Mr W. R. Lamuie seconded the motion.

Mr C. A. Budge complimented the society upon the improved position.

Mr Lambi9 also congratulated the society upon the very satisfactory position. He spoke against the poaching which went on, and said ho was prepared to give £5 to anyone wlio could get a conviction against any person found poaching. He hoped the Government^ would assist them more with prosecutions for poaching. Mr M. J. Goodson added his congratulations. The whole position'of the eociety was very gratifying. ■file motion was carried.

"The past hatching ssason has been very satisfactory. An increase of 16,U00 has been made in the output of fry. The totals for the past, season were: 248,000 brown and 198,000 rainbow, in all 422,000 fry. The yearlings numbered 29,000. Of these, 23,0<J0 were kept at the ponds. The remaining 6000 were liberated from Mr Lambie's dam at Pihama-, and the factory race at Eltham. A large number of fish were again trapped in the Waihi. The trap is working very guc--cessfully,- and rood results should be obtained again this coming season. Mr Lambie's dam1 and the Eitham race have been re-stocked with fry, to be liberated as yearlings. On the recommendation of the committee. Mr Goodson's dam • was stocked this year with 29 large perch for breeding purposes. Until the dam is run off, the result will not be known for certain; but, judging by the number of small 'fish that can be seen it should prove satisfactory. The fry liberated in the rivers have done exceptionally well, as no heavy floods occurred in the spring. Thanks are due to the following gentlemen for assisting in liberating fish, and for services rendered in connection with society matters: —Eltham, Messrs. Poynter Basham and De Launey; Kaponga, Messrs. R. Law, C. Baigent, and C. E. Betts; Waitotara, Mr Amundsen; Otakeho, Mr F. Jackson; Hawera, Messrs. C. Goodson, B. C; i Bennett. W. J. Bell, P. Eastbury, W.' Duffill, B. Jones, N. C. Young, A. Hamilton, W. J. White, W. A. Spragg, E. Morrissey, Kit Hutchison, J. J. Caldwell, J. G. Grant, G. H. Carrington, and Mrs "Wren. During the year a visit of inspection was made to the Hatcheries by Mr Ayson and Professor Prince. The latter gentleman expressed himself as pleased with the work the society is doing in this district. Close on 700 people visited the latcheries last season." Fish were liberated in the following streams: —Fry: -Urown —Pihama, Lambie's dam 15,000,

Mangatoki 4000, Waingongoro (above dam) 35,000, Kaponga 20,000, Kapuni (South, roaa) 7,0u0, Kauuokonui (ixlen road) 18,000, JEltham 50,000, luaha (Ahiapipa road) 5,000, Kaupokonui (Skeet road) 20,000. Dunn's Qreek (Skeef road) 10,000, Mangawhero (Skeet road) 30,000, Otakeho 20,000, stosk 20,000; total 284.000. Rainbow: Kaponga 70,000; Eltham 13,000, Kapuni (Skset road) 35j00Q; ;total, 138,000. . Persh sold: Auckland ;625, and Palmerston 50. Yearlings.-— r Brown: Waingongoro 10,550, Wanganui 1,200, 0 bakeho 250, Tawhitj 150Q; total 13,500. Two-year-old Brown: 'Waingongoro 120. Eighteen months Brown: Waingongoro 500. Rainbow: Kanonga lOOO," Robertson's Eates 4550, Waitotara 250, Mr Amon 200^ Weir's Dam, Te Roti 500, Eltham ,1250, Mr Bett-s 200, Otakeho 250, Playel's Dam, Manutahi -500. Williams' Dam, luaha 300; total 9000. Brown yearling® liberated from Mr Lambie's dam in Tungatara and Ouri 3000, race at Eltham in Waingongoro, at Eltham 30-30. -- | Game Farm. —Last year three dozen eggs" and nine pheasants were sold, a number of birds liberated at Ararata, and the balance .kept at the farm for st/osk purposes. Owing to the unfavor-1 able weather experienced during last breeding season, only a limited- number of birds are available for liberating this year. The birds which were sent to Ararata have done well* a number of \xmng broods having been seen in the vicinity. A large addition has been made to the pheasant run. This gives ample room for the young; chicks. . The President, in, moving the adoption of the report, said that' it would be seen .that the fish had been distributed pretty evenly, and if the Society continued'this policy^ there would be. fishing for everybody., If the Government assisted in : pitting down coaching that evil would very soon be arrested.

ELECTION OF OFFICERS

The electioti of officers resulted as follows: President, Mr C. Goodson (reelected) ; vice-presidents, Messrs B. C. Bennett (re-elected) and C. A. Budge; council, Messrs W. Lambie, W. J. Bell, M. J. Goodson., N. C. Young, M. J, Ponyter,. W. J. McDonald A. Hamilton, R. Lamb'e, junr., and C. E. Betts; secretary, Mr W. J. White; treasurer, Mr C. Goodson-. A bonus of £30 was. voted to the saeretary for his services during the past year. ■

Mr White thanked the members for the assistance given him during the year, and he hoped to place before them a better balance-sheet next year.