FEILDING.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 245, 13 September 1933, Page 4

FEILDING.

ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY. The council of the Feilding Acclimatisation Society met last night, Mr b. H. Stockwell presiding. Also present were Messrs E. Ingram, D. G. Eraser, C. Wickham, E. H. Lange, W. Waugh, G. Lintott, U. llosoman, P. P. Stevens, T. Burne and W. J. Alpe. The chairman conveyed his thanks to the council for its motion of sympathy with him in his recent illness and stated that he was pleased to be able to return to the meetings. Notification was received from Mr H. A. Fraser, of Feilding, to the effect that he would not be available to look after the society’s holding ponds this year—The chairman expressed regret "at the information, stating that Mr Fraser had always been very zealous in his care of the young fish. The council passed a resolution expressing its appreciation of Mr Fraser’s services. Messrs Stockwell and Stevens were deputed to obtain a caretaker for the ponds for the coming year. The Hawke’s Bay Acclimatisation Society advised the council that it could only supply 14,000 rainbow trout fry and no brown trout fry this year The chairman said the council was apparently: lucky to get any fry at all, but at the same time he would not like to see the brown trout fry dropped. Mr Stockwell suggested that the council endeavour to get some brown trout fry from the Hawera Society to supplement the 5000 ordered from the Wellington Society. Mr Wickham pointed out that the council would only be about 2000 fry short of the requirements it had ordered seeing that it was getting 5000 brown trout- fry from the Wellington Societv. -and on account of this, together with the fact that- the finances would perhaps not be so favourable this vear, he suggested that the council make the best of the amount of fry it was getting. Mr Stevens said his views were on similar lines to Mr Wickham’s, the council agreeing to the latter’s sug-

gestion without further discussion. The chairman, in commenting on fry trapping, said there had apparently been a general difficulty this season. The trouble had been the scarcity of water in tho streams and this was in direct contrast to the previous season, when all the young fish had been destroyed by floods. AVAILABILITY OF LICENSES.

The New Zealand Acclimatisation Societies’ Conference forwarded a circular letter stating that representations liad been made to the executive urging the desirability of legislation being sought to enforce property owners to take out shooting licenses before shooting on their own property. Further, that there was a growing feeling among some societies in favour of limiting the availability of fishing licenses to the district in which they were issued, with some system of endorsement for other districts. The executive asked that the council forward its opinion on the questions. Mr Stockwell said both points were important to the society in that they affected the rights and privileges of almost all license holders.

Mr Wickham said the first matter had been dealt with at the last conference of the acclimatisation societies where a decision in favour of the Proposal submitted liad been carried. Seeing that the conference had dealt with the matter a.nd a decision had been put before the Minister, Mr Wickham thought the letter was out of order in this respect. The chairman agreed that the conference liad certainly dealt with the question, but it had been sent forward for discussion and the opinion of the council. Mr Lange moved that the council inform the association that it desired to abide liv the decision of tlie conference, the meeting agreeing to the motion without further discussion.

In regard to the question of the availability of licenses, Mr Alpe strongly objected to such a step. He thought

it ridiculous that an angler in the Feilding district should be compelled to take out about four licenses to fish in the streams and rivers almost at his back door. To Mr Alpe a £1 license should bo sufficient to allow him to fish all over New Zealand, except Taupo and Rotorua, where different regulations prevailed. The chairman said he had been afraid for some time that such a proposal would be brohght forward. To him it was a move that was being fostered at the instance of the wealthy angler, who wished to limit the fishermen but not the fish. Angling in New Zealand had never been better than it was at present, and the progress had been made on the £1 license. Now a proposal was afoot to deprive anglers of the very right and privilege they had paid for, and Mr Stockwell expressed liis emphatic protest against it. He moved that the council enter its strong protest against any move to restrict the availability of fishing licenses, this being seconded by Mr Rosoman. and carried. Mr Ingram commented that such a proposal could only have one effect—• it would make poachers out of the ma.j-ority of anglers who only took out one license, the chairman agreeing with this view.

A letter was received from the Wellington Society stating t-liat it was unlikely that "the Government would agree to any importation of the mallard duck species for the reason that very little was known of its habits regarding cross breeding and the idea was to protect the native duck. At present only isolated cases were known in which the mallard duck crossed with the native duck. The council discussed the letter, following which it was decided to advise the "Wellington Society that it was in favour of mallard duck breeding, as there appeared to be little danger of it crossing with the native duck.

Mr Stevens put forward a request on behalf of an angler on relief work to the effect that relief workers be charged half rates for their fishing licenses. Mr Stevens said be could not see personally how the council could act on the request, but was simply stating the case which had been put before him.

The chairman replied that even if its finances would allow such a step to be taken, tho council could not accede to the request. It would be impossible to charge one man 10s and another £1 for a license for both to enjoy the same privileges. No further comment was made on the matter beyond a remark by Air Wickham that reduced fees were available late ill the season for all persons requiring fishing licenses.

JOHN RUSKIN, ART CRITIC:

ADDRESS TO CIVIC CLUB. An absorbing and instructive address on John Ruskin, the celebrated English critic, was given by Rev. D. J. Davies, B.Sc. of St. Peter’s Church, Terrace End, at the luncheon yesterday of the Feilding Civic Club. Mr T. Watson presided and there was a good attendance of members. After a short biographical sketch ol his subject’s life, Mr Davies enlarged on Ruskin’s development as an art critic and political economist. It was somewhat surprising to members of the club to learn that when tlie essays which comprised “Unto the Last” were first published in tlie Cornhill Magazine they raised such a storm of abuse that the editor had to cease including the articles after four of them had been published. Ruskin’s ideas at the time were considered to be very violent and revolutionary, although nowadays, said Mr Davies, they were accepted as commonplace. Ruskin came into conflict with the economists of liis day— Bentham, John S. Mill .and others—on the question of values. The economists had defined wealth as what it would bring in exchange. Ruskin, on the other hand, strongly held views that wealth was the weli-being of human life. The veins of wealth, he contended, were purple veins in human flesh and not- veins in rock. Ruskin had an abhorrence of tire ugliness of life as it appeared in the niid-

Victorian era. The destruction of the countryside by tlie establishment of manufacturing towns with their slag heaps, smoke, etc., raised in him a violent and continued storm of protest. He advocated the beautifying of the cities and countryside and 'was keenly interested in tlie working man and in education generally. It was a strong point with him that the school should be the most beautiful building in tlie village or city. Mr Davies dwelt at length oil Ruskin’s magnificent power of prose, this wonderful faculty being developed in him by his continued and absorbing study of the Bible. Ruskin had the highest appreciation of the massive music of the authorised version and reflected in liis writings were the truths it contained. Mr Davies was in excellent form with his subject, employing most of the arts of eloquence of which lie himself is master, and members listened with rapt attention to an absorbing half hour’s address.

The appreciation of tlie gathering to Mr Davies for his address was conveyed on tlie motion of Messrs L. J. Wild and T. S, Goldsmith.

PIGEON RACING. The Feilding Homing Pigeon Club conducted its first race this season on Saturday last, tlie birds being released at Oliakune. All the released birds safely made tlie 65-mile journey to their homes, the following being the results : —lt. Mackintosh’s Red Terror, velocity 1089.5 yards per minute, 1; R. Petterson’s Skv Pilot, 1069.1 yards, 2; P. Spooner’s Silver Rada, 989.5 yards, 3. Next Saturday the birds are to fly from Taumarunui.

NOTES. Mr A. D. Hamilton, of Palmerston North, lias taken over the duties of district manager of tlie Public Trust Office, Feilding, vice Mr I. C. Robinson, who lias been transferred to Palmerston North but is at present on relieving duty at Taihape.