ACCLIMATISATION WORK

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21164, 22 April 1932, Page 11

ACCLIMATISATION WORK

SOCIETY'S SOUND FINANCE.

GAME LICENCE REVENUE.

A PROGRESSIVE POLICY.

[BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORTIEPrONPENT.] HAMILTON, Thursday.

A very satisfactory year's work was reported at the 64th annual meeting of the Auckland Acclimatisation Society, held this evening. There was <'in attendance of about 50 members.

The president, Mr. F. E. McKenzie, in moving the adoption of the annual report and statement of accounts, already published, said that probably no commercial undertaking in the Dominion could show a better revenue account than the society. No less than £2225 had been received from the sale of game licences. When it was realised that, there were over 2000 sportsmen in the district, it was remarkable that everyone seemed satisfied with the sport that had been provided. There had been no increase in revenue from the introduction of part-season fishing licences. Opossum licences had produced £164, but there would be no revenue from them in future, as the Government wanted the money. Expenditure had exceeded revenue by £298, but he would point out that £306, which had beon spent on the destruction of stoats and weasels, could have been debited to the reserve account. If this had been done, there would have been a credit balance. A primary object of the society was the preservation of wild bird life, and the destruction of ground vermin had been part of its policy. Mr. F. G. Baskett, in seconding the motion, congratulated the society on the high standard of work it had established.

Mr. McKenzie mentioned that 400 chukor would arrive in New Zealand noxt month and would be liberated in tho ranges near Taumarunui. Tho report and statement of accounts wero adopted.

A ballot for tho election of four mem bers of tho council resulted in tho re turn of Dr. H. A. Chatfield, Dr. W. T Thomas, Mr. F. G. Baskett and Mr. A E. Cave.

The president paid a tribute to the many years of service rendered by Mr. C. A. Whitney, who had not been reelected to the council.

It was decided to ask the Government to remove its objection to tho provision of a fish-pass at Arapuni and to permit one to be provided at the Horahora weir, tho council to take the matter up when the finances of the Dominion improved. Votes of appreciation were passed to Messrs. Fitzgerald, Barnett and Meredith, who had assisted in clearing snags from Arapuni Lake. Mr. T. S. Withers moved that the Government be asked to provide access to portions of the banks of the Waikato, near Aratiatia, over land that had been sold for afforestation purposes. The president asked all members to remember that the shooting season opened on Monday, May 2, and not to do any shooting on May 1.