LAND AND WATER

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4425, 3 August 1901, Page 7 (Supplement)

LAND AND WATER

(By “Dalbiac.”) [“Dalbiac” will be glad toi receive from sportsmen with rifle, gun or rod para* graphs which may be of interest, particularly with regard to bags and has. kets obtained, the state of game in their district, the appearance of new game, etc. In all cases tb© writer should forward his name and addrtM as a guarantee of bona fides.] While the government’s proposals to import certain big game are under consideration by acclimatisation, some* ties, it is the duty of settlers to inform themselves as to the habits of the anu mals it is proposed to introduce and as to whether they are likely eventually to become a nuisance in their new habitat. If they neglect to specifically protest'against the importation of animals which may in time become a pest they cannot expect to receive the’ eymjpathy which sportsmen generally extend towards the farmer who suffers loss from game animals 1 The sports* men will naturally only object to the introduction of an animal which, is likely to destroy other game, and he will naturally welcome animals which promise*such good sport as_ the marfchor, the, springbok, the wapiti, and the Cape buffalo. While no doubt there is a sufficient percentage cf landed proprietors on the acclimatisation societies, by whose advice the Government will he guided, to look after the ins terests of the settler, members are as a rule those who hope for sport ut the future, and the settlers will fail in their duty to themselves if they neglect to enquire into the proposals and, if necessary, protest against the introduction of any particular species of game.

From the sportsman’s point of view,' although they have exercised an admirable degree of caution, too many of the acclimatisation societies have treat, ©d the proposals in a eiftnmary maw ner and have suggested no compromise. The opportunity for the societies ia one that may not occur again, and should b© taken advantage of as faraa possible. The Auckland society, while not concurring in the Government’s proposals, suggested that the proposed expenditure should be diverted to the introduction of game birds. And the suggestion was a wise one. There are hundreds of English game birds, such as grouse, snipe, woodcock, bittern, . etc. which might be introduced in sufficient number to render their successful acclimatisation .probable. New Zealand is very poorly stocked with birds, considering the large percentage of Engs lish birds which could be procured cheaply and would certainly, thrive here. „ . The South Canterbury Society haa at length dealt with the Government's letter on. big game. In coming to a decision it was greatly assisted by Mr Melville Gray, who promised to subscribe towards the importation of mark. Lor, ibex, ovisainmon, bighorn, chamois and wapiti. Mr Gray also suggested that application should -be made to the Indian Government for assistance in procuring the finest of all mountain goats, the markhcr. He considered plain animals from South Africa were not likely to be a permanent success on account of the low»lying country beingso closely settled, which the hills of Canterbury and Otago were particularly suited to the animals named. The society expressed a preference for’these animals in the order named, and voted £IOO towards their introduction. One of the three moose which were liberated some eighteen months ago on the Upper Kokatahi, Westland, ha*

bfr'ii sc' 1 n i;n the Koilerangi rood, Tiij animal-- cow—was utiilc lame -in. docile, and wan placed in a padd.-ck a farm. U will probably cither b* driven back to its mat". or to country where there is abun .'ain-c ol food ami plenty of scope. It i - stated that s pair of neio c have btjen seen in t -■ vicinity followed by a call. II th:.-. :> true t.'liere is good eau-e to beheve ter animals have come to slay. Tlie South Canterbury Society is considering I In- advisability of placing a possum ;iml wallaby on its reserves. 'l'be decrea-e of game birds on tbs West Coa.t lias been very marked of lain years, am! (lie matter has been causing; societies some concern. 'rile Westland Society intends te apply to the band Hoard to have thr boundary id tbe resi rve on A 1 abina[iu:t Lake ami creek extended from two to five chains. Mr C. 11. (lorriek has eoni ributed to the "Sydney Mail” a very readable- article on "Dec T-stalking in New Zmu land.” During a. recent visit In. Marlborough Jim T. Al. U'ilford, of Wellington, disUnguislicd herself with gun and rifle. Besides numerous rabbits. Airs \Villovd brought down three boar. A recent visitor to Port Underwood reports I bat dead (ish are float ing about I Imre in large ipiantilies. He is of opinion that as they are principally the .smaller (ish. eueli as mackerel, cod, etc., I lie mertalily is duo to .surface venom,. . \d’lio “Wairarapa Daily Times” has been shown an almost perlect specimen of the Salmo Belgic liowllonsis, wbic.i in becoming very scarce in the river into which many millions of try were liberated in former years. The fish was taken in the Waipokiri stream. This stream, with the Runiahio and other creeks,’ formerly held great numbers of this soorUgiving trout, many of which grow to a largo size; but, as timo passed on, and fho losses caused by codtishennen and poaching, and last, hut not. least, the destruction worked by shags, were nob made up or balanced by the liberation of annual instalments of fry, many streams once famous for magnificent sport with the rod have returned to their primitive state as regards fish life, for “Salmo Bclgic Bowllensis” was purely a creation of the hatchery, and could not reproduce his kind. The Westland Acclimatisation Society is obtaining over 60,000 trout ova, from Wellington, and 20,000 rainbow or brown trout. Should those hatch successfully there should be an apprec’able increase in. freshwater fish on the Coast. The- Society has also obtained from the stock fish in its own ponds 2100 Loch Loven and 1400 brown trout ova. Mr E. do Labour, curator of the Masterton Fish Ponds, reports as follows:—Number of eggs taken from May, 1001, up to July 2Gth, 1901 —May Isf started netting in Waipoua: first eggs on May 24th : up to date—Brown, trout eggs, .16.3,000; Rainbow, 50,000; Pontinalis, 20,000. Of these 60,000 brown trout were packed and sent to Hokitika, hut wore probably killed in trausi *■ by the unnecessary use of ice. The Rainbow eggs are very poor, quite 50 pn r cent, being bad. Brown trout ova (salmo fneio) are good, but there is the same difficulty in, procuring ripe male fish as lays year, and this alone prevents an unlimited issue of fry. Hr. Aloorhoiwe recently informed the Canterbury Acclimatisation Society that the godwit migrates to Siberia to nest. The birds go by way c-f the Philippine Islands, Japan, etc., and return to New Zealand every season.