COMFERENCE OF ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETIES.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXXVII, Issue 170, 20 July 1903, Page 4

COMFERENCE OF ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETIES.

CONFERENCE AT WELLINGTON.

Press Association. Electric Telegraph . Copyright.

Wellington, July 18. The Council of the New Zealand Acclimatisation Societies met here yesterday.

It was decided to write to the Colonial Secretary asking that acolimatisation societies should be permitted to destroy stoats and weasels where they serve no useful purposes. A long discussion took place in regard to poaching. It was resolved that the Council should approach the Government with a request that police officers bo instructed to assist in tho suppression of tho evil.

Certain suggestions for tho amendment of tho Animals Protection Act and tbe Fisheries Conservation Act will also bo placed before the Government.

The following recommendations of tho Committee were agrcod to: —(1) That there be a uniform shooting season throughout the colonj', a uniform shooting license fee, ami that societies shall have tho power to endorse licenses issued by other societies ; (2) That the godwit season ia Auckland ba altered to December, January and February ; (3) That it bo made compulsory to take out a license to shoot native game ; (4) That it be necessary for coursiDg club? to take out licenses of not less than £5 in districts where hares are not vermin ; (5) That regulations be framed providing f©r the registration of sccieties and the definition of boundaries ; (6) Thab any person shall have the privilege totrausfer his right to shoot on hia own land without license to any one person for the whole season ; (7) /That a uniform fishing license fee be arranged throughout the colony without provision as to endorsement as follows :—£l for men, 5s for ladies and boys, and that it be optional for the society to issue halfseasoo, single river, or special day licenses ; (8) That the keeping of trout in a frozen state for moro than seven days after the close of tbo fishing season bo prohibited.

Mr Russell, the Invercargill delegate, speaking to the latter recommendation, said thafc hundred weights, if not tons, of frozen trout were sent away from his district after being netted.

By direction of the Cabinet, a circular has been issued to InspeGtora of Stock, Noxious Weeds and Dairies, ard Rabbit Agents, directing that they are to abstain from acceptiog free accommodation from farmers while on duty. The circular states that the attention of the Government has been drawn to tbe fact that officers, while performing their official dutiea, frequently stay with farmers and settlers, thereby occasioning remarks by neighbors that such persons are unduly favored by the Government. In future all officers will state in their monthly diaries where they stayed while travelling and ivhe'lier they paid for their accommodation or otherwise.