ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue LXXIV, 23 August 1919, Page 4

ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY

INTERESTING A\D USEFUL. WOBK

This is an interesting period in the work of a society which for many years has done a good work in the district, much appreciated by local and visiting fishermen. Many people will remember the fine display made at the Winter Show when the fish in all stages from the ova onwards were shown. Similar work is now going or. at the hatcheries on the Glover road near the Hawera dairy main factory, under the care ofcMr A. Kean, the Society's custodian. Visitors are always welcomed, and anyone who has not been to the'hatcheries has no idea of the fascination the won. of development of a full grown fish from its ovum stage will create in his mind. The committee put in a lot of time under the eye of their enthusiastic president, Mr B. C. Bennett, and have now liberated all the yearlings from last year's rearings, and are now liberating fry in the various streams. During tho past few weeks they have set free no less than 150,000, as follows:— Twenty thousand each in the Otakeho and Mangawhero, and Dunn's creek on the South road; 30,000 each in the Kaupokorfui, on the Skeet road, and on the Glenn road and in the Mangatoki on the Hastings road. Operations are still going on. When it is realised that all this is done by voluntary help, the people of the district will recognise' the debt owed to those gentdemen who freely give their time, their assistance, and, in addition, their cars. In this respect the committee would like to thank Messrs A. H. Shaw, T. Struthers, C. i and A. J. Luxton, and B. Joll for willingly giving tlie use of their cars. Dams in various parts of the district have each year been given in which, to place fry, with a view to keeping them until they become yearlings. Such are the Eltham Dairy Factory dam, from which were taken 3000 put in last year as fry. These were liberated in the Eltham streams. Mr Tristram's in which 3000 fry have been placed, to be as in other cases, let go in the district streams. Mr C. Goodson's dam was run off recently, and 3000 yearlings set free in the Waingongoro. It will be interesting to learn that this year the Society are holding considerably more than they ever had. The,, wet season has been a great assistance, because it has kept plenty of water at the hatcheries. Quite a number of private ponds are held at the use of the Society for rearing purposes. This means that th.. committee are able to keep f the fish until they become yearlings, the only way w-hich gives absolute satisfaction, and the plan which means success for the I operations of a Society who deserve well ; of all the large number of disciples of , Izaak Walton in this district and those j from other districts who are attracted i hither by the capital sport provided.