ROTORUA FISHERIES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15519, 29 January 1914, Page 8

ROTORUA FISHERIES.

HON. H. D. BELL'S VISIT.

"FINE FISH AND SPORT."

CANADIAN EXPERT'S VISIT.

The Hon. H. D. Bell, Minister for Internal Affairs, who has been, on a visit to the Rotorua and Taupo districts, returned to Auckland by yesterday afternoon s express. He left by last evening's steamer for Whangarei, en route to Russell, where he will join the Government steamer Hinemoa to-day, and make the trip round the North Cape, and down to the Kaipara Heads. At the heads he will inspect a stretch of land along the coast, which, it is proposed, shall be set aside as a sanctuary for game. Mr. Bell will leave the steamer at Kaipara, and come on to Auckland, thence returning to Wellington about the end of next week. As the Minister in charge of the Department in control of acclimatisation matters, Mr. Bell inspected all the fishing grounds during his- visit to the thermal district. He also met the local people, and listened to various representations regarding the condition of the trout and other matters connected with the fisheries. It was agreed, however, that all these matters should be allowed to remain in abeyance until the arrival of Professor Prince, the Canadian expert, who is expected to pay his deferred visit to New Zealand about. April. Mr. Bell, in reply to a question last evening, said that in view of the approaching visit of Professor Prince, he did not desire at present to discuss the condition of the trout in the lakes. It was a fact, he said, that the weight of the fish had decreased in Lake Taupo, as well as in Lake Rotorua, but there were fine fish and sport to be had, especially in Lake Taupo. Catches of 30 or 40 fish in a day with the fly were obtainable in that lake.

The question of the blindness' of trout was also mentioned to the Minister. He replied that whilst he had heard a great deal about the subject, no evidence in support of the statement had been brought before him.

One of the matters put before Mr. Bell at Rotorua was the question of the transfer of the control of the trout fisheries to the Marine Department. This matter is still undecided. "