ACCLIMATISATION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVI, Issue 14167, 15 September 1906, Page 3

ACCLIMATISATION.

A special general meeting of the Canterbury Acclimatisation Society was held lost evening. Dr Moorhouse presiding over an attendance of about forty members. The meeting was called for the purpose of making an alteration in the Society’s rules. Air Drake moved in accordance with notice certain alterations in the rules—(l) That application for membership must be made on or. before March 20, instead of March 31, the annual subscription to be paid on or before March 20 instead of April 1; (2) that the rule “ no member whose subscription is in arrear shall be entitled to vote ” should be altered to “no member whose subscription, shall, be in arrear or any license holder who is not enrolled as a member of the Society shall be entitled to vote at the annual meeting.” Mr.De La Court seconded the motion, which was carried. Mr Hawkins said there were many members of, th© Society who did ; not • know that it was necessary"to, be enrolled before a license^holder became a. member of the Society. , Replying to a question the chairman explained that members must make application for enrolment afresh each season, on taxing out a new license. Dr Aloorhouse reported upon the recent conference of the New Zealand Acclimatisation Societies’ Association, held at Wellington, which he and Mr Ritchie had attended. The question of worm fishing was brought up, and it was decided not to make any recommend at ion. The matter was a local one, and opinion was by no means unanimous throughout tho colony. The now Bill had ample power for tho Government to make any local restrictions recommended by Societies. It was decided that game licenses might be issued through the secretaries of Societies or other authorised persons instead of through the post offices, and this would be a. great saving of time and trouble. Feildiug, Hawke’s Bay and Wanganui moved for a close season for 1907, but this was not; carried, other Societies not being able to afford the loss of their license fees. The conference decided to print, on th© back® of deer shooting licensee instructions for a signal of distress to prevent ac-

cidental loss of hunters. . Three shot® fired in rapid succession were to he followed by the lighting of a fire in a gully. Such a fire was better as a signal than one on a. spur, as the. wind did not blow the smoke away. As cor-, tain people in Nelson had made a business of selling venison from deer destroyed because they were a nuisance, it was decided that carcases, though they could be used for food, should not be removed from the property on which they were found. The Government was recommended to set apart part of D’Urville Island as a sanctuary for game. iA remit from Auckland to limit the amount of game to fall before one gun in one day was lost, because though desirable it would not be easy to enforce. The Canterbury Society’s remit, that netting in the mouths of rivers, estuaries' and 'Lake Ellesmere should be regulated according to local requirements would be covered by the new Bill. In discussing the various matters brought before him by a deputation, Colonel Pitt seemed favourably impressed by . the representation of the members, and it appeared as if the matters would receive proper attention. It was decided to publish, at the expense of the Council a new book of consolidated laws' in regard to shooting and fishing, the only book hitherto published in the colony being out of print and out of date. In reply to a question, Dr Moorhouse said that steps were being taken to define the mouths of rivers and Lake Ellesmere. A non-member asked if the mouth of the Avon at New Brighton had been defined yet, because if it were done, there would soon be very good fishing there. A good number of fine trout were being taken outside the river by netting and otherwise. Mr Ritchie said the Avon had so far been an exception. It was desirable to stop netting there, but the privilege was of old standing, and it was difficult to move* those who had vested interests in those privileges. This matter was under the notice of the Colonial Secretary. In Otago, it was quite impossible to stop netting in some of the estuaries. Therefore, regulations must be made according to local requirements. In some places flat-fish, mullet, etc., were caught in very large numbers, amounting to the bulk of the fishing industry.

In a further reference to the conference. Dr Moorhouse said ‘ that it was asked that the, rangers should he allowed power under the new Explosives Bill to search the record books with a view to suppressing the use of. dynamite in fishing.. _ . .. L . A special meeting of the Council was then held; present—-Dr ■ Moorhouse (chairman), Dr C. M. Anderson, Rev A. R. S. Holloway, Messrs G. B. Ritchie, G. F. Whiteside, F. W. Hunt, C. J. Sloman, L. W. Shand, J. La.very, W. Henry, L. Biggins, A. F. Nichbl, W. Drake, W. H, Towriend, W. Billens, P. J. De la Cour, Professor Blunt, and Mr H. Bruce (secretary). The meeting was held to consider a petition signed by 108 fishers, asking that - cer- • tain of the smaller suitable streams,, or parts of streams, in the district, should be set apart and reserved, for fishing > with artificial bait. The petition-was suported by some members of the Flyfishers’ club. ■ A long discussion took place as to whether the Council was hound by the ■ decision arrived, at at a-public meeting, duly advertised, recently held to con- , eider the question, of worm fishing. In summing up the discussion, the..president said he thought the Council was bound to abide by’.the result of that meeting, and should not reserve any river this year at all ©vents. After an hour’s brisk discussion, Mis': was agreed 1 that the petition should ha considered. Mr Holloway moved that the Selwyn River should be reserved for artificial bait from Coe’s ford .to the railway bridge up to November. 30. It ■ was moved, as an amendment, that effect should be- given to the recommendation of the recent anglers’ meeting, that no further restrictions should be mad© for the coming season. The amendment was • lost by nine votes to eight, and the motion was carried. V, ' r A motion: to reserve the. Ashley', between the Bridge on the Sefton Road and the Ashley traffic bridge, was'lost. The Avon was reserved between'the . Carlton Bridge and the creek at . the big bend.