TROUT FISHING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22155, 8 July 1935, Page 11

TROUT FISHING

eotorua and taupo WORK OF THE DEPARTMENT CLAIMS MADE BY MINISTER THE QUESTION OF ACCESS r D Y TEi.ECKArn —own correspondent! AV EI. LIX OTO X, Sunday A reply lins horn made by tho Ministor of Internal Affairs, Sir Alexander Young, to the reeent criticism in the \ktv Zi Ar.AM) Herai,i) of the control bv-his departinent of the Rotorna and Taupo fisheries. "The eritieism generally with regard to the congested state of the waters • n the height of the season is indirectly A tribute to the department's activities," stated the Minister. "It shows that the fishing available lias attracted anglers in greater numbers than ever in the past, and the consensus of opinion is that the finality of the fish is greatly improved. The poorness of | condition at the beginning of the sea- j son, so soon after spawning, is beyond ; human effort to remedy." Replying to the complaints about j access to fishing waters, the Minister j states that it is necessary to deal with Taupo and Rotorna separately, since they form separate fishing districts, and came under the control of the department at different times. "It is admitted that the lack of freo lateral land access to the lake shore and river banks is a matter that causes a great deal of irritation to anglers," he said. "The lateral access in the cases that have given rise to most complaint is through native or privately-owned European land. There is a never-ceasing demand for the de- j partmcnt to cut tracks and form j roads. Before these works could be j undertaken it would be necessary for j tho Government either to acquire land for the purpose from the present owners, or. alternatively, rights-of-way. In cither case the expense involved places this matter beyond serious consideration at tho present time. Preservation o! Access "The principal complaint in the Herald article is directed against that long stretch of the Waikato which is r.ot in the Taupo but in the Rotorua fishing district. The department, which has been in control of the Rotorua fishing district for only five years, is severely castigated for failing to proserve the access. So far from this being warranted, the records of the department show never-ceasing endeavour to preserve public access to tho ri\er bank. "The river from the Huka Falls down to the point where it crosses the boundary between the Rotorua and Auckland acclimatisation districts is lined partly by Grown and national endowment lands and a scenic resene, and partly by native and privatelyowned lands. Immediately on assuming control, the department approached the Lands and Survey Department, which readily agreed that on tho disposal by sale or lease of all Crown and national endowment lands fronting the river within the Rotorua district, a two-chains-wide strip will be reserved as a means of access. Further lateral access, jvhero necessary, will be safeguarded. The Wairakei Lease "The Wairakei lease has been given much publicity, and again the Department of Internal Affairs has been made the scapegoat. The land affected, ft thermal springs reserve, is not controlled by either the Lands Department or'the Internal Affairs Department. It is hoped to provide other access to the river in this locality in the near future. "Summed up, the position is that between Huka Falls and the boundary between the Rotorua and Auckland acclimatisation districts the activity ot the Internal Affairs Department during tho past five years has resulted in the reservation of river access along ail the remaining unalienated Crown and national endowment land, llns has been made possible by the tarsighted co-operation of the Lands De--11 whole question with regard to Lake Rotorua will, I understand, come before a Parliamentary coniniittee session, as the result of a petition which was presented last session. The Minister says the department has undertaken to have Lake Roto Aira ranged. Any proposal to have the P r ~ ent position varied to allow of ->u poans fishing tho lake will not >c sidered until such time as the natives themselves ask for it. Disposal o! Revenue "The Herald makes two statements under the head 'Fishing Revenue and its Disposal' that call for a reply said the Minister. "The first is that trout-fishing licences now bring in ens of thousands of pounds annually to c Government. The plain fact of the ma tnr is that outside the Rotorua and Taupo districts all revenue from troutfishing licences is received by the acc iniatisation societies for their own use. So far as the two fishing districts under the control of tho Internal Affairs 1 cpartinent are concerned the licence tees received in 1931-35 were:—laupo, £2400, and Rotorua, £1(300 Iho Herat,i> then states that the policy ot the department has been to take <j the licence fees and give nothing back. It is in point, therefore, for ine to state just how the department expends its Taupo and Rotorua revenue, which for the year under review included, in addition to fishing-licence fees, some £GOO from shooting-licence fees, some £550 from the sale of trout fry and ova, and sundry small items, hues, etc., amounting in all to about £5300. How is ;ill this expended? Payments to Natives "First, tlieic is the standing charge of an annual payment of £.'5000 to the Taupo natives in respect of the present rights of access for anglers under the legislation of 1926. The Taupo fishing revenue is £(500 short of that, 'lhe department's liability docs not stop at £3000; when the licence revenue exceeds that amount, one-half of the excess will also be payable to tho natives. In addition, the natives receive one-half of the lines and penalties recovered in respect of offences. "Then coine the salaries and wages of tho conservator and his staff, hatchery expenses, payment of commission on the sale of licences, and cost of motors and launches, ranging, and other necessary items. Altogether, the total revenue falls short by well over £2OOO of the annual cost of administration by the department of the °f the Rotoni'i acclimatisation district, the area of which comprises tho Taupo fl nd Rotorua fishing districts. "From this it should be clear that, sc far from the Rotorua and Taupe fisheries being a source of profit, the fishing is conserved and tho facilities existing at. present are provided foi "nglers at a direct cost to the genera taxpayer. Anything more than tho department is now doing could b( Jchioved onlv bv further grants fron , tho Consolidated' Fund."