FISHERIES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVI, Issue 14191, 13 October 1906, Page 6

FISHERIES.

WORM v. FLY. PRIVATE WATERS. "■ [From Our Correspondent.] WELLINGTON, October 12. The Waikato River, just below tho Arateatea Falls, provides, on Mr Wilford’s authority, the best trout fishing in the North Island, but it has its drawbacks. Its banks are steep, and titree grows right up to the water’s edge. Mr Wilford asked the Premier, who announced that the Tourist Department was taking over the Rotorua acclimatisation district, to spend £SO on clearing this titree from the banks, and Sir Joseph Ward promised to have it done. This was one of the least uninteresting bits in the committee discussion on tho Fisheries Conservation Acts Amendment Bill. There were several new clauses inserted. On Sir William Steward’s motion it was agreed by 37 to 22 to allow fish or oysters to be placed in freezing works for keeping during the close season, under a permit from the secretary or chairman of an Acclimatisation Society. It was also decided on Mr Davey’s motion' by 33 to 28 to legalise (under regulations) netting for trout at the mouths of rivers and estuaries, and in Lake Ellesmere. Mr Buddo moved to prevent any Acclimatisation Society reserving water for fly fishing to the exclusion of fishers who would tempt the fish with bait. The division proved that “anglers” outnumbered the common “fishermen” by 35 to 19, so that Mr Buddo’s proposal was rejected by that majority. Mr Wilford gave an enlightening discourse on the difference between angling and what he called “ poaching” with worms and gentles, with a special chapter on,dynamiting fish. This was induced by a motion of Mr Witty to prevent Acclimatisation Societies reserving water by restrictions as to the inducement offered to the fish t-o bite. It was a struggle over a worm, and Mr Flat-man mad© a telling speech for the down-trodden. “The. earth is tho Lord’s and the fullness thereof,” he quoted, and the House began laughing, and kept it up to the end of his speech. “I don’t believe in any dynamite being used,” ho said. “ I don’t believe in tickling trout if you can’t get any other bait. Let the boy have a worm. (Loud laughter.) This is a free country ; what will be the result? All the worms will be out of the market and there will be no fish.” Later on Mr Flatman made another speech, in which he said he would set his foot against any more game laws." (Loud applause.) “ I know what they were,” he said. “I suffered enough from them when I was a lad.” (Loud laughter.) “ How much did you get?” queried Mr Tanner.

Mr Flatman’s reply was nearly inaudible, by reason of the laughter. It was one of those evenings when one envies the ease with which the House can amuse ’ itself. Hpwever, notwithstanding Mr Flatman’s advocacy and support, Mr Witty’s clause was lost by 37 to 25. Mr Barclay was next in, with a now clause proposing to give holders of fishing licensee the right to fish up beds of streams running through private property without being deemed trespassers.

Mr Wilford gave it ae his personal experience that land-owners in the North Island don’t adopt a dog-in-the-manger policy in regard to fishing their streams. “‘Not only will they throw their water open to you, but thoir whisky also,” he said. He went on to urge that so long as this was the case, it would be unwise to give a fisherman the right to present his license to a land-owner, and demand access to the bed of the stream.

Mr Barclay’s proposal was rejected by 50 to 10. Mr T. Mackenzie sought to have licenses for single rivers issued to men for 10s the season—i.e., to have made universal by legislation what is done by certain isolated Acclimatisation Societies ; but this was rejected by 35 to 21. The Bill was then reported with amendments.