Nelson Evening Mail. MONDAY, MAY 7, 1894.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXVIII, Issue 105, 7 May 1894, Page 2

Nelson Evening Mail. MONDAY, MAY 7, 1894.

| It is a pity that more intorost is not taken in this distriot in tho Acclimatization Society. Tho neighbourhood of Nolson is well adapted for a sporting country, and a great deal oi the mountain land is lit for little else. Thanks to efforts in former years thero are trout in the streams and red and fallow deer in the bush, and there are still a few pheasants aud Califomian quail to bo found here and thero. In respect of leathered game, however, the dietriofc is not what it used to bo. Wholesalo trapping for export has so reduced the numbers that it is hard to get a decent day's shooting. The Acclimatization Sooiety is powerless to prevent farmers from snaring birds on their own land. Even if it were illegal the prosecution of men for killing creatures for which they themselves find the food would be exceedingly unpopular, and would soon be stopped. Quail when in great numbers aro very misohiovous in eating grass seeds, aud it eau be easily understood that farmers do not like to see them increase too much, but thero is a medium between handing the country over to game and total oxtermination. Shooting has a market I value, and if it were to be easily got the attractiveness of Nelson would be greatly increased. The income of the Acclimatization Society from license foes would be considerably increased, and the Society would thus have the means of increasing its usefulness. With the money at its disposal it does pretty well as it is, but it is far outstripped by other Societies. Invercargill with its suburbs is not much more populous than Nelson, but the Southland Acclimatization Society was last year able out of its savings to purohase the freehold of the land on whioh the breeding ponds stand, at a cost of £250, and yet to Btart the year with a good balanoe. That Society keeps au experienced curator at a good salary, and last season it was ablo to distribute among the various rivers under its control nearly 300,000 trout fry. Tho 10,000 hatched hero, and tho S,OOO liberated, seem small numbers compared to that. Even if farmers object to having feathorod game ou their land, and dislike to help the Society by putting down laud poaching, they could bo of great service by stopping tho illegal taking of trout. Trout aro perfeotly harmless. Thoy do not interfere with anyone's crops, and thoy supply a groat deal of innocent amusement, and a good deal of good food. In addition in time to come a good trout at.cam will be a valuable possession, and land near well stooked streams will havo a special value. It is shortsighted on tho part of landowners to allow water poaching, and worse to do it themselves. Without tho assistance of tho farmers the Socioty can do almost nothing for tho protection of game or fish. It cannot have paid rangers everywhere, and oven a ranger can do little if ho is looked on with unfriendly eyes by tho farmers, Tho landowners have ifc in thoir power to help the Sooiety, whioh has no desire to mako auy attempt to oppress thorn. Its desire is to make the district more attractive and profitable, by providiug for {ho mainfcainance of land game in numbers not so great to be mischievous, and of enough trout to give fishing to all who want it, by ;.ntroducing salmon if possible, and also by the introduction of any bird, beast, or fish whioh may be proved to bo both useful and harmless.

Thi; last mail brought out the mwb thnt a very important interview had t&l^n place iv London, in tho middle of Maroh, betwoeu 6everal gentlemen, vepmming

the New Zealand dairy produce trado in Loudon, aud Mr S. Lowe, the New Zealand Government dairy expert, on tho one hand, and the manager of the Shaw Savill aud Albion Company on tho other. The object of tho deputation waa to impress on tho company tho need of altering tho temperature in tho "000 l ohninbors" of their Bteamera iv which butter is carried. All the members of tho deputation were men specially experienced m the handling of butter, and all agreed that in most cases tbis artiolo of produce was carried at far too high a temperature, the consequence being that much wus dnmaged. It appoare that the exports aro of opiuion that the proper temperature for tho carriage of butter should nob exoood 20 deg. to 30 deg. Fahrenheit, yet at present the ao.oalled " cool chamber" nearly always registers 85 dog to 45 dog and often more. Tho manager of tho Shaw, Savill, aud Albiou Company pointed out that tho shipping companies could do vory little in the matter, unless they had instructions from the shippers from whom they reoeived tho oargo. Thoy could not tak. instruoj tions from consignees alone. New Zealand shippers of dairy produoe should give tho necessary instructions, so that all tho buttor Bent away from this oolouy I Bhould bo oarried in a ohamber where tho totuporatuie does not exceed that, laid down by tho oxperts, as tho most suitable This docs not apply to ohoeso wliich Bhould still continue to bo carried at a temperature o( -15 to 55 degrees. Mr Trougrouse, who is one of tho largest handlers of dairy produce in London, states tint at present Now Zoalaud butter has fallen vory far bohiud Victorian in quality and value. It appears that buttor from this colony has become so much inferior to Victorian that uqlosb an iraprovoinontiß rapidly effected, many of tho largest dealers will withdraw from tho New Zealand trade and confine thoir operations to butter from tho rival colony. Tho Lmdon oorre?pondents of the NNetw t Zealand papers in their interesting artioles on dairy pro> duco givo over aud over again the Bame warning to shippers of butter iv this colony. Tha Loudon merchants have repeatedly stated during the last few months that the quality of the buttor from New Zealand is getting poorer. Unleßs those interested in the trade on this side of tho water turn over a new leaf and send produoo of a higher and more uniform quality they will ero long find themselves left out in tho cold.